State Clears ₹62 Crore Dues, Unveils ₹3.22 Crore Sircilla Development Project

Telangana Government has assured Sircilla's weaving community of sustained employment, enhanced welfare measures and additional saree production orders if required. The announcement came as the government launched ₹3.22 crore worth of development works at Ragudu Junction, combining infrastructure upgrades with initiatives aimed at strengthening one of the state's largest textile clusters.

The foundation stone for the junction development, beautification and model bus shelter project was laid by Marketing, Agriculture, Handlooms, Textiles and Cooperation Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao, along with Transport and BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, Minister Adluri Laxman Kumar, Government Whip and Vemulawada MLA Aadi Srinivas, District Collector Garima Agrawal, and local legislators. During the programme, Thrift Fund RD passbooks were distributed to eligible textile workers.

Addressing the gathering, Tummala Nageswara Rao said Sircilla has become the symbol of Telangana's weaving tradition and the government remains committed to safeguarding the livelihoods of weavers. He said the state has extended over ₹1,360 crore to the handloom sector during the past two years while expanding social security, insurance and welfare schemes. The government, he added, continues to procure quality handloom sarees despite higher procurement costs to ensure steady market demand. A proposed Yarn Depot is also expected to improve raw material availability for cooperative societies.

Highlighting the government's efforts, Aadi Srinivas said orders for 6.80 crore metres of sarees during 2024–25 generated nearly eight months of employment for thousands of weavers. For the current financial year, orders have already been placed for 3 crore metres, with nearly 1 crore metres completed. He said the government is prepared to sanction over 3 crore additional metres if required and has already cleared ₹62 crore in pending bills.

He also announced key initiatives, including a ₹2-per-unit power subsidy for 25 HP powerlooms, a ₹50 crore Yarn Bank in Vemulawada, and plans for a Common Facility Centre to improve productivity and reduce costs for smaller weaving units.

Ponnam Prabhakar said the Indira Mahila Shakti sarees produced in Sircilla have earned widespread recognition for their quality and proposed developing a signature Sircilla saree with a Geographical Indication (GI) tag to enhance its market identity. Adluri Laxman Kumar said the Revanth Reddy government is implementing its promises in phases while giving priority to the welfare of handloom workers.

Garima Agrawal said the Ragudu Bypass Junction will feature road widening, safety improvements and textile-themed sculptures, while a ₹3 crore textile landmark near the Collectorate will showcase the weaving process. She added that the positive response to Indira Mahila Shakti sarees has prompted the government to place fresh production orders, reinforcing Sircilla's position as Telangana's leading textile hub.