T.N. Power looms Federation seeks hike in wages for producing free dhotis and saris
The Hindu
Tamil Nadu Federation of Powerlooms Associations urges State Govt. to increase wages by 30% for producing free dhotis & saris for Pongal festival 2024. 68,000 power looms provide livelihood to 30 lakh families. Last wage revision in 2019, but power charges, spare parts & other charges have gone up significantly. Urge CM to announce wage revision at earliest..
Stating that hike in electricity charges and increase in productivity cost were affecting power looms, members of Tamil Nadu Federation of Powerlooms Associations urged the State government to increase the wages by 30% for producing free dhotis and saris meant for distribution to ration card holders during Pongal 2024.
In a letter to Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, federation organising secretary B. Kandavel said the State government had issued orders for producing free dhotis and saris to 228 power loom weavers’ cooperative societies and the production was in progress at 68,000 power looms in the State. The work order provides livelihood to 30 lakh families, directly and indirectly. The State government had, in 2010-11, fixed the wages for producing dhotis and saris at ₹16 and ₹28.16 respectively and revised it a few times. The last revision was in 2019 when the government fixed ₹24 and ₹43 respectively as wages for producing dhotis and saris, the letter said.
The letter said that steep hike in power charges, increase in price of spare parts, increase in charges at lathe workshops and other related charges for maintaining power looms had gone up significantly in the last many years. “With power looms facing closures, it is essential that wage revision needs to be done immediately,” the letter said and urged the Chief Minister to make the announcement at the earliest.
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