From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Jan 22: Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has promised to extend budgetary support to the weaving community from supply of raw materials to assistance for technology development.
Addressing the Amrut Mahotsav 2023 of the State Togataveera Kshatriya Weavers Association in Bengaluru on Sunday, he said the State Government would take all steps to help the weaving community as they are known for hard work.
Bommai said weavers had suffered a big blow after the globalisation and liberalisation of 1990. It is necessary to ensure a good market for the weavers and their products as the use of polyester cloth and yarn had harmed the weavers.
The chief minister said the government has issued orders to ensure that handloom cloth, sarees, dhotis and uniforms must be purchased from the handloom industry.
He said the government has accepted the demands of weavers for increasing the subsidy to handloom weavers under the Handloom Weavers Samman scheme to Rs 5,000 and pointed out that the handloom industry was the largest employer of rural people. All the traditional occupations and crafts must survive and prosper, he said.
The Chief Minister explained the various schemes to assist the handloom sector and weavers and said the government was ready to provide further assistance.
Minister K C Narayaana Gowda, Sri Divyananda Giri Swamiji, Sri Poornanda Swamiji, Association President B S Somashekar and other leaders were present.
The Chief Minister distributed the Kannada Awards to judges and other judicial staff for implementation of Kannada language in judicial work during the years 2019-20 and 2020-21 years. The function was organised by the Kannada Development Authority in Vidhana Soudha.
High Court judge G Narendar, Kannada and Culture Minister V Sunil Kumar, Kannada Sahitya Parishat President Mahesh Joshi, Kannada and Culture Department Secretary Dr N Manjula and Kannada Development Authority Secretary Dr Santhosh Hanagal were present.
Special efforts to capture leopard
The chief minister, who arrived in Mysuru to participate in the Sutturu Jathra Mahotsav, told reporters at the helipad that special efforts to capture a leopard that had attacked and killed a 12-year old boy.
A special task force of the Forest Department is being constituted and special efforts are being made to trace and capture the leopard which had attacked people at three different places. The department has already captured one leopard and more efforts including manning by gun-wielding staff is being carried out, he said pointing out that the government has taken the matter very seriously.
The compensation provided to the families of the victims is also being increased, the chief minister said.