Telangana government to give gold colour border saris for Bathukamma festival

Rajanna Sircilla: The state government will be giving polyester saris with jari anchu (gold colour border) for the Bathukamma festival. It is expected that the gold colour border would attract the womenfolk in the election year.

Unlike last year, when a major portion of the order was given to Surat, all the Bathukamma saris will be supplied by Sircilla weavers this time. Some women had burnt the saris last year alleging that they were of poor quality and had been purchased at cheaper prices from Surat.

Local weavers are manufacturing Bathukamma saris in 180 colours and blouses in six. The cost is stated to be about Rs 200 crore. The saris will be distributed to an estimated one crore women having Food Security Cards.

According to official sources, as many as 5.9 crore metres of cloth is required of which 2.9 crore metres has been produced. About 18,000 powerlooms are working on the project and 2,000 more are need to meet the deadline.

The powerloom workers were asked to produce the remaining cloth in the 35 days so as to be ready with the saris by October 5. The Bathukamma festival begins with October 9. It is said that 8,500 powerloom workers and 5,000 allied workers are engaged in the exercise.

Officials estimated the target could be met only if 12 lakh metres of cloth was produced per day.

A senior officer said that local weavers used to produce cloth but now the entire process was being done in Sircilla.