Telangana’s government will begin distributing one crore Bathukamma sarees. The initiative was launched in 2017 to support weavers and present a small token of appreciation to women, according to KT Rama Rao, the state’s Textiles and Handlooms Minister. The sarees will be distributed in the presence of ministers, MLAs, and other public representatives, according to Mr Rao.
Bathukamma is a nine-day annual Hindu festival celebrated primarily in Telangana and parts of Andhra Pradesh during the months of September and October.
Bathukamma sarees in 2022 have a wider range of design and colour options than in 2021. To ensure quality products, rural women and designers from the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) were consulted. The Textiles Department, according to the minister, has prepared 240 different thread-bordered, 100% polyester filament yarn sarees this year, using 24 different designs and ten appealing colours.
Eligibility for receiving Bathukamma saree
Mr Rao stated that any Telangana woman with a Food Security Card is eligible for a Bathukamma saree. The Telangana government has spent 339.73 crore on the project, which employs weavers. Since its inception, nearly 5.81 crore sarees have been distributed through this project.
The Textiles Department, in collaboration with the District Collectors, has made arrangements for saree distribution.
Mr Rao went on to say that Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao has launched several programmes to help the state’s weavers who were struggling due to unemployment prior to the formation of Telangana.
While the government of Telangana is trying to support weavers, the Central government is burdening them with measures such as Goods and Services Tax (GST) on textiles, the Textiles and Handlooms Minister complained. He added that under the leadership of the Chief Minister, Telangana government will continue to work for the benefit of the weaving community.
Of the one crore sarees to be distributed, 92 lakh are six metres in length. The remaining are nine-metre sarees, worn by older women in North Telangana.
