A symbolic tribute is paid to the ‘idea’ of handlooms on this day by organising a handloom walk and conducting State-sponsored exhibitions. The spiralling yarn prices and non-availability of the required counts and quantities of yarn at the appropriate time has resulted in a total wiping out of handloom clusters in certain areas. There has been no serious thought given to the supply of cotton yarn at reasonable prices to the handloom weavers. In spite of promotion of ‘handloom brand’, the imitations continue to be sold as handloom, which eat into the market for authentic handlooms. The entire GST Act seems to have ignored the widespread existence of craftspeople and handloom weavers and their centuries old skills.

Source: dna August 27, 2017 02:46 UTC