Siricilla: Uncertainty continues over Worker to Owner scheme

Forget about continuation of works, sheds are being utilized for other purposes. While two sheds were allocated to Sircilla Cooperative Electric Supply Society (CESS), more sheds are being utilized as godowns to store paddy procured from farmers.

Rajanna-Siricilla: Uncertainty continues among Sircilla weavers over the launching of ‘Worker to Owner’ scheme. Though the construction of work sheds and other works were taken up during the previous BRS government, there is no progress in work after the change of the government.

Forget about continuation of works, sheds are being utilized for other purposes. While two sheds were allocated to Sircilla Cooperative Electric Supply Society (CESS), more sheds are being utilized as godowns to store paddy procured from farmers.

As a result, the hopes of weavers, who are eagerly waiting for the scheme, have been dampened. Weavers are contemplating to organise protests against the decisions of the state government, which had already shuttered their hopes by denying Bathukamma sarees and other government orders.

In order to provide employment to weavers throughout the year, the BRS government had introduced a number of schemes besides announcing subsidies after the formation of separate Telangana state. As part of the sequence of welfare schemes, the previous government came up with an innovative scheme ‘Worker to Owner’ to develop workers (weavers) as owners of weaving units.

For this purpose, it was decided to develop a weaving park in 88 acres of the land by spending 375 crore in Peddur in the outskirts of Sircilla town. Besides construction of work sheds, roads, water, current and other basic facilities were developed in the park.

With a view to provide accommodation to 1,104 weavers in the first phase, construction of 46 works sheds was taken up. Works have reached the final stage. 4,416 powerlooms would be provided to weavers under group sheds.

In the park, each worker would be provided 800 square feet of space including a storeroom. Four semi-automatic powerlooms and a winding machine would be provided to each worker. There would be 60 warping machines in the park.

When the project was designed, the cost of each unit was fixed at Rs 8 lakh. However, it rose to R 15 lakh in the wake of increase in material cost.

While the government has decided to provide units on 50 percent subsidy, banks would provide 40 percent amount under loans. The remaining ten percent is the beneficiary contribution.

Speaking to Telangana Today, a weaver opined that state government, which was stopping the schemes launched by BRS government, would not continue the worker to owner scheme since it was also designed by the previous government. Though the construction of work sheds were completed, it required more money to purchase powerlooms and other machinery. If the scheme was launched, it would become more difficult for weavers to get work orders since they were already facing troubles due to lack of work orders after the change of the government, he said.