The Weavers' Manifesto: A Call for Justice, Reform, and Political Agency in Telangana’s Handloom Sector

By Chuppala Nagesh Bhushan

The Loom of Identity: Historical and Cultural Significance

The handloom sector is not merely a segment of the textile industry; it is the rhythmic cultural heartbeat of Telangana. As the primary employer in the state second only to agriculture, the preservation of our weaving traditions is a strategic necessity for both regional identity and economic stability. For generations, the mastery of the loom has defined our heritage, yet today, this glorious sector lies on its deathbed (Ampshayya). It gasps for survival under the weight of systemic indifference, transforming a source of national pride into a site of profound socio-economic crisis.

Telangana’s textile masterpieces have garnered global acclaim, yet they are met with a tragic paradox of international reverence and domestic abandonment.

Treasures of Telangana

Textile Masterpiece	Global Standing vs. Domestic Neglect
Pochampally Double Ikkat	A world-renowned geometric marvel; currently stifled by inadequate marketing infrastructure.
Gadwal & Narayanapet	Celebrated heritage weaves; suffering from plummeting loom counts and exorbitant input costs.
Dubbaka Golabhama	A unique cultural motif; facing near-extinction due to the lack of weaver-specific incentives.
Kothakota & Arur Pitambarams	Exquisite traditional wear; marginalized by the absence of specialized protective schemes.
Warangal Durries & Carpets	Immense export potential; currently paralyzed by procedural hurdles and budgetary starvation.

 

The current scale of the sector underscores the urgency of our plea. With 17,069 looms, 40,000 families, and 336 cooperative societies directly dependent on this craft, the survival of the weaving community is at stake. This decline is not an accident of market forces but a direct consequence of administrative and legislative strangulation.

The Procedural Curses: Legislative and Administrative Strangulation

In recent years, administrative directives and tax policies have undergone a predatory transformation. What should be support mechanisms have become "procedural curses" that threaten the very survival of the craft.

The imposition of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on the handloom sector is a devastating departure from the industry’s historical tax-exempt status. For a craft surviving on the thinnest of margins, this tax acts as a "stone on a drowning fox" (Moolige Nakkapai Tatipandu). Despite the explicit promise made by Rahul Gandhi in 2023 to provide GST reimbursement upon coming to power, the current Congress government has abandoned this commitment, leaving weavers to carry a burden they cannot sustain.

Furthermore, administrative overreach through GO Number 1 and the implementation of a tender-based procurement system has effectively dismantled the autonomy of cooperative societies. By prioritizing bureaucratic tenders over equitable marketing support, the government is bypassing the very cooperative structures meant to protect weavers. Although the High Court intervened to strike down these obstructive practices, the government continues to create hurdles, signaling a clear intent to prioritize administrative control over weaver welfare.

The Arithmetic of Neglect: Budgetary and Scheme Analysis

The disconnect between the government's rhetoric on "vibrant heritage" and the reality of fiscal allocation is staggering. The budgets reflect a calculated disenfranchisement:

• Central Government: Within a massive national budget of 54.30 Lakh Crores, the handloom sector is allocated a mere 200 Crores. This is a pittance for a sector supporting nearly one crore people nationwide.
• State Government: Within Telangana’s 3.24 Lakh Crore budget, only 370 Crores is earmarked for handlooms. Given the current administrative climate, we hold deep skepticism regarding whether these funds will ever reach the weavers.

This financial starvation is exacerbated by the abolition of vital safety nets. Key institutions like the Handloom Textile Board and the Handicraft Board have been shuttered, alongside the termination of the Mahatma Gandhi Bunkar Yojana and the ICICI Health Insurance scheme.

Operational failures are now the norm. While 33 Crores were released for loan waivers followed by a subsequent 16.27 Lakhs, these figures are insufficient to clear the crushing debt of our cooperatives. The Thrift Scheme (త్రిఫ్ట్ పథకం)—a lifeline for many—is in crisis; while weavers have dutifully made their contributions, the government has failed to provide its matching deposit for ten consecutive months, paying for only two. Similarly, the "Netanna Bhurosa" scheme (formerly Chenetha Cheyutha) was promised for 2025, but only three months of support have been implemented. These delays, combined with unresolved Geo-tagging issues, have completely eroded weaver trust.

The Crisis of Political Exclusion: A Statistical Indictment

As Dr. B.R. Ambedkar stated: "Classes without political power decline." The current crisis is, at its core, a crisis of representation. Despite being a significant demographic, our community has been systematically excluded from the halls of power.

Representation Deficit Analysis

According to the 2024 Caste Census, the weaver population in Telangana stands at 13.23 Lakh (approximately 4% of the state). This includes 11.79 Lakh Parmacellids and 1.45 Lakh from ten other weaving castes.

Metric	Target (Proportional)	Current Reality	Deficit
MLA Seats	5	2	-3
MLC Seats	2	1	-1
MP Seats	1	0	-1

The exclusion is particularly stark within the ruling Congress party, which currently has zero elected representatives from the weaving community in either the State or Central legislatures. The loss of legendary leaders like Konda Laxman Bapuji has left a void that the current political establishment shows no interest in filling. Without a seat at the table, we are treated as a mere "voter bank" rather than a political force.

The Path Forward: Advocacy and Unified Action

The time for passive endurance is over. We hereby call for a Statewide Handloom Rights Protection Conference (Chenetha Hakula Sadhana Sadassu). We applaud the recent round-table held on the 9th and look forward to the joint meeting in Choutuppal on the 24th, organized by the BC Intellectuals Forum and the Joint Action Committee (JAC).

We must transition from being "voters" to becoming an organized political force. Our demands are a matter of right, not charity:

1. Immediate Fiscal Release: The immediate release of all withheld funds, the fulfillment of the 2023 GST reimbursement promise, and the completion of the loan waiver for cooperative cash credits.
2. Restoration of Democracy: The immediate conduct of cooperative elections, which have been vacant for 13 years, to restore autonomy to the weavers.
3. Real Institutional Power: The genuine empowerment of the Padmashali Corporation. It must cease being a "paper corporation" and be provided with a functional Chairman, a dedicated budget, and executive authority.

United we stand, divided we fall. We must set aside our differences for the future of our craft and our children. We have nothing to lose but our chains of slavery.

The looms of Telangana shall not go silent. We demand our share, our voice, and our dignity.

Jai Chenetha! Jai Jai Chenetha!