JOIN USTheatre person Prasanna opined that the government need not provide any special funds to save handloom products, but can purchase the goods from the manufacturers and give them a new lease of life.
Launching a movement ‘Protect Handlooms’, organised by All India Handloom Federation, in Hassan, on Sunday, he said, the government should come forward to save handloom weavers by purchasing their products as done by the Tamil Nadu government.
This would also prevent those selling machine-made products in the name of Khadi and handloom, which has literally turned as a bane to handloom weavers, he stressed.
Prasanna, who is also manager of ‘Desi’ and ‘Charaka’ organisations of Heggodu, said, the Handloom Act is in force in the country, but it is not implemented properly.
According to the Act, traditional garments should be spun only in handlooms, but the products manufactured using powerlooms too are being passed as handloom. If the government puts a brake to this, automatically, the demand for handloom products will rise and fetch good price in the market. Ilkal sarees, Melkote dhoti, Udupi’s garment, Challakere’s blanket and khadi are in great demand and are sold at good prices, he added.
G R Manjesh, KSP district unit secretary Gorur Shivesh, H K Javaregowda and others were present.