CM Chandrababu Launches ‘Nethanna Sevalo’ Scheme, ₹179 Crore Aid Released for Weaver Families

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu on National Handloom Day launched the ‘Nethanna Sevalo’ scheme in Chirala, extending financial assistance to handloom families across the state. Under the scheme, each eligible weaver family will receive ₹25,000 financial support. In the first phase, the Chief Minister released ₹179 crore for 71,536 handloom families.

Addressing the gathering, Chandrababu said handloom represents more than a profession and stands as a symbol of India’s cultural identity, heritage and traditional skills. He said choosing August 7, the day observed as National Handloom Day, for launching the scheme reflects the government’s commitment to protecting the livelihoods of weavers.

The Chief Minister highlighted the contribution of major handloom hubs, including Chirala, Venkatagiri, Dharmavaram, Uppada, Mangalagiri, Ponduru, Pedana and Srikalahasti, which have earned recognition for Andhra Pradesh’s weaving traditions. He said the government was implementing several measures to strengthen the sector, including 200 units of free electricity for handloom families and 500 units for powerloom units. The benefits are reaching 62,541 handloom families and 10,032 powerloom units, he added.

Chandrababu announced plans to develop special infrastructure for artisans, including facilities in Uppada, a handloom park in Mangalagiri, and a handloom and handicrafts museum in Amaravati. He also revealed that a ₹4,200 crore textile recycling unit would be established in Visakhapatnam to promote industrial growth and employment.

The Chief Minister said the NDA government was committed to the welfare of Backward Classes (BCs) and would soon introduce a special law for their protection. He added that the state had attracted ₹12 lakh crore worth of investments and was focusing on infrastructure development to create jobs.

Highlighting government spending, Chandrababu said the coalition government had allocated ₹1.5 lakh crore for welfare programmes and ₹1.34 lakh crore for development activities in the last two years despite financial challenges. He also announced that the Seed Access Road in Amaravati would be inaugurated on August 13.

During interactions with weavers, artisans said GI tag recognition for Chirala handloom products and the One District–One Product initiative had boosted demand. They informed the Chief Minister that sales of Kuppadam silk sarees increased by nearly 30% after GI recognition. Weaver representatives thanked the government for financial aid and free power support, saying the initiatives had strengthened their livelihoods.