Minister for Handlooms and Textiles S. Savitha at the National Handloom Exhibition in Vijayawada on Sunday. | Photo credit: GN RAO
Handlooms and Textiles Minister S. Savitha said on Sunday (March 22, 2026) that the development and welfare of handloom artisans in the state is a priority of the TDP-led coalition government.
The minister visited Gandhi Bunakar Mela (National Handloom Exhibition) – 2026 at Shesha Sai Kalyana Mandapam in Vijayawada. The Minister said that the government is implementing several welfare schemes to strengthen the handloom sector in line with the promises made by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu during the elections.
She said the government recognized the hardships faced by handloom workers and extended full support to them in the form of exhibitions organized in the secretariat during the Assembly budget session and also during Tirumala Brahmotsavams to promote handloom products. Subsidy on raw materials, clean funds and training in modern designs were provided to support the industry, she said, adding that in addition, up to 90% subsidy was offered to purchase equipment to increase productivity.
The minister noted that out of 10 awards received by the state under the “One District – One Product” program, four were won by the handloom sector. Artisans from regions like Venkatagiri, Dharmavaram, Uppada, Mangalagiri, Ponduru, Chirala, Pedana, Madhavaram and Madanapalle are participating in the exhibition. Of the 112 stalls set up, 47 belonged to Andhra Pradesh, she said.
The minister said that a monthly pension of ₹4,000 was provided to handloom workers above 50 years of age. From April 1, free electricity will be provided up to 200 units for handlooms and 500 units for power looms.
She urged people to buy handwoven clothes during the festivals to support the artisans, noting that sales worth about ₹ 47,35,000 have been recorded so far since March 18 and are expected to touch ₹ 4 crore soon. The exhibition will continue till March 31, she asked people from all sections to visit the exhibition.
Former ZPTC chairman Gadde Anuradha said that the spirit of India lies in its threads that symbolically bind the country together. She emphasized that handloom artisans transform their creativity into cloth and that the sector provides significant employment in addition to agriculture. She appreciated the government’s efforts to promote the handloom sector.
Joint Director G. Rajarao and others were present at the event.
Published – 22 March 2026 23:27 IST
