YS Jagan Accuses Coalition of Failing Andhra Pradesh's Handloom Weavers

YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) President and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy extended greetings to handloom weavers, artisans, and their families on National Handloom Day, saying the handloom sector represents the rich culture, heritage, and craftsmanship of the Telugu people. He reaffirmed that the YSRCP remains committed to protecting the sector and safeguarding the welfare of weaving communities.

Recalling the achievements of his government during 2019–2024, Jagan said several initiatives were launched to improve the financial security of handloom families. He highlighted the YSR Nethanna Nestham scheme, under which every eligible weaver family received ₹24,000 annually, amounting to ₹1.20 lakh over five years through direct benefit transfers. According to him, the scheme disbursed a total of ₹969.77 crore to beneficiaries.

He further stated that his government allocated ₹1,396.45 crore towards pensions for handloom workers and spent ₹468.84 crore to clear long-pending dues of APCO, the state-run handloom cooperative. Overall, he said, welfare measures worth ₹3,706.16 crore were implemented to provide economic support and social security to handloom families across Andhra Pradesh.

Jagan also said his administration ensured free electricity for handlooms and subsidised power for powerlooms. In addition, he claimed the government worked to improve market access for weavers by entering into agreements with leading e-commerce platforms, enabling handloom products to reach both domestic and international markets and helping artisans gain wider recognition.

Criticising the present coalition government, Jagan Mohan Reddy alleged that the Nethanna Nestham scheme has remained suspended for the past two years despite election promises. He said the coalition had failed to honour its commitment to provide ₹25,000 annually to weaver families.

He also accused the government of not implementing its promises of 200 units of free electricity per month for handlooms and 500 units for powerlooms, besides failing to provide the promised GST reimbursement for the sector.

Jagan further alleged that the government had initially announced coverage for 1,03,534 families under the welfare scheme but had now reduced the beneficiary count to 71,536 families, raising concerns over how many would ultimately receive assistance.

Reiterating his party's stand, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said the YSR Congress Party would continue to fight for the rights, welfare, and long-term protection of Andhra Pradesh's handloom weavers and artisans.