VIJAYAWADA: To ensure the financial stability of weavers, the State government will implement the free electricity scheme to provide 200 units of power at a free of cost to handlooms and up to 500 units to powerlooms from Wednesday.

Around 93,000 families holding handlooms and another 11,488 families with powerlooms will get benefits under the scheme. The government will spend around Rs 150 crore per year for the implementation of the scheme.

Each handloom family is expected to save up to Rs 8,640 per year, while power loom units could benefit by up to Rs 21,600 annually. The government has taken a series of measures to revive the handloom sector, which has faced challenges in recent years.

These include raising the weavers’ pension to Rs 4,000, allocating Rs 5 crore to thrift funds, offering up to 90% subsidy on modern machinery, a 15% subsidy on raw materials, and ensuring quality yarn supply.