'Tailors to get more benefits'

Speaking after inaugurating the programme, he said that 2,074 people in the State have received the new pension scheme. Of this, 1,021 are the tailors from the undivided DK district. Efforts will be made to increase the benefits granted by State government under the new pension scheme from five to 10 years, he added.

Appreciating the crowd who attended the convention, Palemar said that the tailors have set an example that with unity, one can get benefits for his community. Tailors who were considered as unorganised labourers have proved themselves as organised, he added.
Several initiatives have been introduced by the government for people of the backward community and these can be availed by tailors. One can avail scholarship, fund for weddings, pregnancy benefits, pension schemes and others, he said.

Karnataka Legislative Assembly Deputy Speaker Yogish Bhat said that he had put a lot of efforts to bring the unorgnaised labourers welfare fund committee into being. As a result, the new pension scheme brings a lot of benefits to the labourers. Apart from beedi, one profession that reaches every house is tailoring and hence it plays a huge role in the development of the community, he added.

Association Chief Secretary Vishwanath Shettigar said that DK District has 16,901 tailors and the state has 10 lakh tailors. In DK District, 610 people have received cards under the new pension scheme and in Udupi 593 have received them.

Submitting a memorandum to the District-In-Charge Minister, the association requested for the benefits of the National Health Bhima Scheme for tailors, wedding fund for girls who are practicing tailoring, pregnancy benefits, scholarships, fund for building houses, retirement benefits for senior citizens and other benefits.

Palemar responded positively to the benefits. MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, MLA Ramanth Rai, MLA U T Khader were present among others.