Weavers in Erode demand wage hike, question unmet promises ahead of bypoll
A pivotal demand put forth by power loom weavers to the State government is to increase wages by 30 per cent, as they have not been increased since 2019
COIMBATORE: In the poll-bound Erode, numerous power loom units continue to produce dhotis and sarees for distribution to the public in PDS outlets even a week after the Pongal festivity.
“Over 30 per cent of saree production and 5 per cent of dhotis is yet to get over due to delay in issuance of order by the State government. It will take at least a month more to complete the orders. As this has become a recurrent issue, the process should be streamlined for the welfare of over 20,000 weavers employed directly and indirectly in this sector in the Erode (East) constituency,” said B Kandavel, joint co-ordinator of Tamil Nadu Federation of Power Loom Association.
Another pivotal demand put forth by power loom weavers to the State government is to increase wages by 30 per cent, as they have not been increased over the last five years since 2019. Currently, Rs 24 is given towards producing a ‘veshti’ and Rs 43 for a ‘saree’.
From Rs 16 for veshti and Rs 28.16 paise for saree in 2011, the wages were raised to Rs 18.48 paise for veshti and 31.60 paise for sarees and further to 21.60 paise for veshti and 39.27 paise for saree in 2013. After six years in 2019, the wages were hiked to the current price of 24.30 paise for veshti and Rs 43 for sarees.
Over one lakh workers in Erode, Tiruchengode, Coimbatore and Tirupur are hit by this wage issue.
“During the AIADMK period, the weaver wages were hiked four times in eight years from the year 2011, but the DMK government has not yet kept up its poll promise to increase it despite continuous petitions. The DMK government should implement its poll promise to resume orders for producing the entire stock of school uniforms and general uniforms for other government departments through power looms instead of auto looms. Also, the government should soon announce the upgraded textile policy to resolve issues faced by the textile sector,” claimed weavers.
Some other major demands of the industrial sector include reducing power charges, property tax and reducing GST to boost industrial production. Even though it’s a welcome move to set up the National Turmeric Board, its headquarters should have been set up by the central government in Erode, a traditionally major turmeric-producing region rather than in Nizamabad.
Further, more flyovers should be built to ease traffic congestion and develop better infrastructure.
“The work for an IT park remains a non-starter. The government should also consider our demand to allocate land to establish a trade centre,” said VK Rajamanickam, president of the Federation of All Trade and Industry Associations of Erode District (FATIA).
