The saris will be distributed through ration shops on September 18, 19 and 20.
Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao announced a mammoth and unprecedented gift for women in Telangana for the upcoming Bathukamma festival - over one crore poor women above the age of 18 years will get sarees as gifts irrespective of their caste, community and religion.
The saris will be distributed through ration shops on September 18, 19 and 20.
The saris will be purchased from the handloom and powerloom sectors to support the weavers and workers.
The Chief Minister reviewed the sari distribution program for the Bathukamma festival at Pragati Bhavan on Friday. He examined the quality of saris to be distributed, and expressed satisfaction. He spoke to the officers concerned about the distribution program and finalized the schedule. He then asked all the MPs, ministers, MLAs, MLCs and other public representatives to make the sari distribution program a big success, and even asked minister K T Rama Rao to write a letter to all of them to that effect. Even the District Collectors were directed to monitor and supervise the program, and Chief Secretary S P Singh will have a video conference with the Collectors in this regard.
"People in Telangana celebrate the Bathukamma and Dassera festivals cutting across religion and caste. This is a state festival, an integral part of the Telangana life and culture, and a symbol of family relationships. The state government has decided to distribute saris on this occasion to enable people to celebrate the festival with more enthusiasm. We have distributed clothes to Muslims on Ramzan and Christians on Christmas. But for Bathukamma, we have decided to gift saris to poor women from all the communities - Hindu, Muslim, Christian and so on - and from all castes," the CM declared.
"The plight of workers dependent on handloom and powerloom sectors is pathetic. Due to lack of work, some workers have even committed suicides. The government is trying to change the situation. Hence we are purchasing saris from them, as it would provide employment to the workers. This will create employment guarantee, which in turn gives these people confidence. By the distribution of saris, there will be more happiness among women, and there will be happiness among the handloom workers. This gives us happiness. We are speeding up the process of modernizing the powerlooms. We are giving 50% subsidy on yarn and chemicals. This will result in making the handloom workers' lives better, and they will come out of their dire straits," the CM said.
Orders have already been placed for the procurement of 1,04,57,610 sarees for distribution to as many women. They are being weaved currently. These sarees will reach the various district headquarters from the making units in the second week of September. From there they will be transported to the ration shops, and the distribution will take place on Sept 18, 19 and 20. In case a woman beneficiary cannot come to the ration shop, her husband or father or mother can take it. In the ration shop, the beneficiaries need to show their Aadhaar or voter identity card, or any other identity card. The entire program will be monitored by the District Collectors.