Mumbai, Dec 14 (KNN) Maharashtra’s Textile Minister Chandrakant Patil announced on Wednesday that the state government will set up a study group to understand and analyse the issues faced by the power loom industry.

On the basis of the study it will recommend changes to the state’s new textile policy to help the power loom industry.

This announcement was made while replying to a calling-attention motion by Rais Shaikh, Samajwadi Party MLA for Bhiwandi (East).

Patil also announced that the government was going to distribute 24 lakh sarees to BPL women and that all the sarees would be made in power looms. He said Shaikh would also be part of the study group and that a government resolution on the study group would be issued soon.

“In Maharashtra, after agriculture, power looms make a big contribution to employment. Power loom operators must get more benefits and support. While drafting the textile policy, many stakeholders were consulted and their suggestions were incorporated. Then we cleared the policy, but MLA Rais Shaikh has said that power loom operators were not considered enough. So we will form a study group. There are three centres, Ichalkaranji, Malegaon and Bhiwandi that have power looms. The stakeholders and elected representatives will be part of the group,” Patil said in the Assembly.

“We will provide resources for the study group to visit the centres and it can submit a proposal. We are giving 24 lakh sarees to BPL women between Makar Sankranti and Holi. All these sarees will be made in the power looms of Maharashtra. As for the power subsidy, we will take up the issue with the energy minister and the finance minister,” he added.

(KNN Bureau)