Slams YCP rule for suicide of Pedana weavers
CM welfare fruits not reaching needy sections
Restore subsidy loans, incentives to weavers
AMARAVATI: TDP National General Secretary Nara Lokesh on Tuesday expressed shock and grief over the suicide of Pedana weaver Kachana Padmanabham along with his family members following a stifling debt trap.
Lokesh said suicides of weavers were rising in the State due to lack of support from the Government. All incentives, subsidies and loans were stopped. No assistance was provided even during the difficult times like the Covid-19 pandemic.
In a statement here, Lokesh said the ruling YSRCP leaders were boasting of massive welfare programmes. The ongoing suicides revealed the bitter truth that the welfare benefits were not reaching the deserving sections of poor people.
Nara Lokesh deplored that the handloom sector in AP collapsed completely on account of chaotic decisions taken by CM Jaganmohan Reddy. Absence of timely support and lack of welfare had pushed weavers into irretrievable debts. The Padmanabham family in Pedana in Krishna district was the latest victim of callous policies.
Lokesh accused the YCP rule of bringing illfare programmes in place of welfare. It has stopped incentives and subsidies implemented by the TDP regime to give Rs. 50,000 worth benefits to each weaver every year. Just Rs. 24,000 assistance was being given under Nethanna Nestham, which was also not being given to those who had no looms.
Nara Lokesh demanded an explanation from the ruling YSRCP leaders on why the APCO purchases were stopped. Mazoori and concessions were stopped. No assistance for setting up their own loom.
The TDP MLC demanded that the Government should realise its mistakes and immediately restore incentives and subsidy loans. The fruits of welfare should be properly handed over to the beneficiaries so as to prevent the suicides of weavers or any other section.
