Govt ignoring handloom procurement order: Weavers to Telangana HC

The petitioners alleged government departments were violating GO 1 by procuring handloom products from private suppliers.

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court has directed the state government to consider, within two weeks a representation submitted by handloom weavers’ cooperative societies seeking strict implementation of a government order mandating procurement of handloom products through the state-run Telangana State Handloom Weavers Cooperative Society (TSCO).

Justice Surepalli Nanda passed the order on a writ petition filed by three Warangal-based cooperative societies – Veeranjaneya Handloom Weavers Mutually Aided Cooperative Production and Sales Society, Handloom Weavers Cooperative Societies Samakhya and Vishalakshi Shatranji Handloom Weavers Cooperative Production and Sales Society.

Carpets, curtains procured from private suppliers: Weavers

The petitioners had approached the court alleging that several government departments continued to procure handloom items such as carpets, blankets, curtains, bed sheets and other livery products from private suppliers, in violation of government order (GO) 1 dated March 11, 2024.

The government order requires all state departments, corporations, boards and institutions to source their handloom requirements from TSCO, and permits procurement from outside agencies only if TSCO issues a non-availability certificate within a week, stating it is unable to supply the items sought.

According to the petitioners, the order was issued specifically to protect the livelihood of the state’s handloom weavers by ensuring them a steady stream of orders, but its non-implementation had left thousands of weavers without adequate work, in violation of their right to livelihood under Article 21 of the Constitution.

The petitioners had earlier submitted a representation on February 25 this year to the authorities seeking enforcement of the order, but claimed no action had been taken on it before they moved the court.

HC asks authorities to examine representation

The respondents in the case included the state government, the Commissioner of Handlooms and Textiles, the Commissioner of the Backward Classes Welfare Department, the Telangana Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society (TGSWREIS) and the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Telangana Backward Classes Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society (MJPTBCWREIS).

The court noted that the grievance essentially pertained to non-implementation of the 2024 government order, which was aimed at safeguarding the interests of the handloom sector, and that the petitioners’ representation on the issue was yet to be examined by the authorities.

Rather than issuing a direction compelling procurement through TSCO, the court chose to dispose of the petition by directing the Commissioner of the Backward Classes Welfare Department, TGSWREIS and MJPTBCWREIS to consider the weavers’ representation and take necessary steps to implement the government order “in its true spirit” within two weeks of receiving the order.