Chennai, Jun 30 (IANS): The Power Loom Federation of Tamil Nadu has requested the state government to release the orders for making free dhotis and sarees so that they get ready early for distribution for the Pongal festival of 2023.

The petition was forwarded by the Power Loom Federation general secretary, L.K.M. Suresh on Thursday to the Chief Minister through the office of the Assistant Director of Handlooms.

In the petition, the federation urged that free school uniforms for government school students and dhotis and sarees be included in the Pongal kits produced by 67,000 power looms in the state.

The power looms are managed by the 223 power loom weavers cooperative societies functioning in Erode, Salem, Namakkal, and Tiruvannamalai. The orders are however executed by the power loom units.

The federation in the petition to the Chief Minister mentioned that the industry has provided jobs to over a lakh workers.

The federation office bearers want government to issue orders for free sarees and dhotis to be included in the Pongal kit to be released in June or at least by early July.

The power loom federation general secretary also said that in 2021 the orders were released in August resulting in the delay in the production. Last year the order for dhotis was given in August while that of sarees was given in November resulting in the delay in production of dhotis and sarees.

The power loom office bearers in the petition said that the dhotis and sarees can be manufactured and submitted to the textiles department in December 2022 only if the orders are given on time.

Last year 1.67 crore dhotis and sarees were manufactured and distributed to the ration card holders of the state during Pongal.