Hyderabad: Telangana Jagruti president Kalvakuntla Kavitha accused the State government of cancelling handloom orders, alleging that the move pushed thousands of workers into distress.
In a statement, she said the education department, under Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, scrapped uniform supply contracts. As a result, she claimed many workers lost a key source of income.
She said the government had earlier placed handloom orders worth about ₹105 crore each year with 393 cooperative societies. Therefore, these contracts ensured steady work for thousands of weavers.
However, she alleged that the sudden cancellation disrupted this system. At the same time, she criticised the government for not issuing fresh orders linked to welfare departments.
She said the lack of continuity in handloom orders had affected livelihoods across several districts. Moreover, she warned that the situation could worsen without immediate intervention.
Handloom orders delay triggers concerns over worker livelihoods
Kalvakuntla Kavitha said authorities had not released orders worth ₹200 crore for blankets and clothing supplies to TESCO. Consequently, she claimed the delay pushed workers deeper into financial stress.
She alleged that officials withheld these handloom orders even after deadlines passed. According to her, this weakened cooperative institutions in the sector.
At the same time, she accused the government of attempting to divert contracts to private players. She said such a move would benefit a few while harming traditional weavers.
Furthermore, she demanded that the government restore the cancelled handloom orders to cooperative societies. Otherwise, she warned that protests would intensify across Telangana.
She added that workers were preparing for a large-scale agitation if the decision was not reversed. Meanwhile, she called for immediate corrective steps to protect livelihoods.
