TN govt will fulfil demands of handloom and powerloom weavers: Stalin

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Saturday assured both handloom and powerloom weavers that their long-pending demands would be fulfilled soon.

Speaking at a function organised by a weavers' association near here, Stalin said the DMK always stood by the weavers since its inception.

He recalled that his father and former CM late M Karunanidhi had sold handloom products, carrying them on his shoulder on the streets of Tiruchy and Chennai, to help the weavers back in 1953.

Listing out various schemes implemented for the benefit of the weavers, including old age pension, the Chief Minister said his government will soon set up a textile park in western Tamil Nadu.

Similarly, steps have been initiated to establish a textile city in Chennai at a cost of Rs 30 crore and a handlooms and handicrafts museum in Mahabalipuram, he added.

With regard to power connections, Stalin said the state government has provided 1.50 lakh free electricity connections to the farmers in the last 20 months, compared to 2.2 lakh connections during the entire 10-year rule of AIADMK.

He also assured to take up with the Centre the issue of increasing yarn prices and the need to amend the Handloom (Reservation of Articles for Production) Act.