Monday, November 18, 2013: Cyclone Phailin and flood had hit the power supply in parts of Ganjam district. To restore services, Odisha government is handing out solar lanterns to weavers in that district so they can carry on with their jobs instead of struggling with darkness.
Official sources told IBN that other components of the package will also be offered to the weavers of Ganjam district. 152 weavers have already got solar lanterns at a programme at Padmanavpur under Digapahandi block in the district.
Berhampur’s Upendra Kumar Debata, assistant director of textiles shared that similar functions will be held at Hinjili and Berhampur. Distribution of solar lanterns is a part of the Chief Minister’s special package for the weavers of the state. The package, which was announced in March last, targets to cover all the weavers families in four years, the report further added.
However, the reason the government started with Ganjam is because the area was badly hit by the natural calamities. Additionally, the state will also bear the insurance premiums of the beneficiaries that come under the health insurance scheme and Mahatma Gandhi Bunakar Bima Yojana (MGBBY) and provide Rs 45,000 to them in three phases for construction of workshed.
Annual premium of the beneficiaries is Rs 50 and Rs 80 under the health insurance and MGBBY respectively. Under the MGBBY scheme, of the annual premium of Rs 330, the contribution of central government is Rs 150, weaver s share Rs 80, while Rs 100 will be borne by Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), the report stated.
As per the preliminary report from the textile department, the handloom sector in the district was badly hit with 280 out of 1000 handlooms reportedly damaged, house collapse. Moreover, yarn of around Rs 26,00,000 worth got soaked in rainwater.
