AP govt pitches for Apco products

The Andhra Pradesh government is trying hard to impress upon the Indian Railways to buy handloom products such as bedsheets from the state.

Disclosing this to the media here on Wednesday, state finance minister K Rosaiah said that slightly higher price of handloom products as compared to mill products is making it hard to sell.

"Railway officials are asking the Andhra Pradesh State Handloom Weavers Co-operative Society Limited (Apco) to match the prices on par with mill products which is not possible. Instead, the government told them to be flexible on the price as without government's support handloom sector cannot survive on its own," the minister said, adding that his government is also in talks with other public sector agencies to sell Apco products.

Apco has increased the livery production from 2 lakh meters to 6 lakh meters during 2004-05 apart from increasing the number of hand looms from 2,500 to 4,237 brought under livery production.

According to the minister, procurement of handloom cloth and other products from weavers has been increased to Rs 42.46 crore during last year as compared to Rs 33.54 crore in previous year.

New weavers' self help groups will be organised and financial support will be arranged through banks, especially for women this year, the minister added.