more-in Alleging that weavers suffered under the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee chief N. Uttam Kumar Reddy has promised to enhance their benefits. Announcing a slew of sops for weavers on Wednesday, he said the monthly pension would be doubled to ?2,000, and health care and accident insurance of ?5 lakh for each with corporate hospitals would be ensured. Mr. Reddy, who was here along with leaders of the grand alliance to express solidarity with the protesting weavers, said the 2BHK housing too would be as per the beneficiaries’ choice, so that they can construct house anywhere with a ?5-lakh allowance from the government. ‘A non-starter’ Leaders alleged that the TRS’s ?1,200-crore budget for the textiles ministry was a non-starter. Further, of the ?380 crore for handloom weavers, not even 10 % has been spent. Telugu Desam Party State president L. Ramana said that a separate Telangana kindled hopes for many, but all sections, including farmers, tenants, students, women, minorities, dalits and tribals, were let down. The grand alliance would see a leader from the weavers’ community, he said. Solidarity extended Communist Party of India leader Chada Venkat Reddy also observed that the sad state of Telangana was visible in the suicides of handloom weavers, and the fortnight of relay protests at the handloom hub here. In solidarity with the weavers, Telangana Jana Samithi leader Prabhakar Reddy said the aim was to find better solutions. ‘Vote for change’ As elections were the appropriate time to teach them a, the leaders urged weavers to vote for the grand alliance for a change for the better.

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