New Textile Policy soon, says Minister Savitha

Minister for BC, EWS, Handlooms, and Textile Development, S. Savitha, announced that a new textile policy would be introduced soon. Speaking in the Assembly on Thursday in response to a question by TDP MLA B. Jayanageswara Reddy regarding the Textile Park in Yemmiganur, the minister shared details of the government’s plans for the sector.
Savitha stated that the decision to establish a Textile Park in Yemmiganur was made on August 15, 2015, during Independence Day celebrations, to support handloom weavers. The government had allocated 90 acres of land for the project. However, she claimed that under the leadership of Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, the handloom sector had become inactive. The previous regime had also allocated 14 acres of land from the Yemmiganur Textile Park for housing schemes, leading to a legal battle and a stay order.
She mentioned that the Textile Park would be developed according to the decisions made during the 2014-2019 tenure of the Chandrababu Naidu government. The park is expected to employ 5,000 people.
In addition to Yemmiganur, the minister said similar Textile Parks would be established in Rayadurg, Mylavaram, and Pamidi. She also announced plans to set up a Handloom Park alongside the Textile Park in Yemmiganur. The new textile policy, she added, would focus on uplifting the handloom sector and creating a sustainable ecosystem for weavers.
The minister criticized the Jagan government for failing to develop the existing textile parks and accused it of dismantling systems that had been established previously. She further alleged that the government was more focused on land-grabbing and corruption than on actual development.
Regarding support for weavers, Savitha stated that the government was planning to set up Weaver Centers across the state, following the model initiated by Minister Nara Lokesh in Mangalagiri. Several Members of Parliament had already committed funds from their MPLADS to establish these centres, and the government was also seeking support from corporate groups like Aditya Birla to set up weaving and dyeing facilities.
The government plans to provide handloom workers with tools at a 90% subsidy and has secured Rs. 30 crore from the central government for the establishment of a Mega Textile Park in Dharmavaram, she added.