Pension planned for handloom industry workers

MAR Manukulasooriya, Hiriyala group correspondent

Plans are underway to grant a pension to handloom textile industry workers, North Western Province Rural Industries Minister Gunadasa Dehigama said. "The handloom textile industry is one of our national heritages. The local textile industry declined with the introduction of the open economy in 1977. The Government has taken several steps to uplift the local textile industry," he said.

Dehigama made these observations at the opening of the Janasalu Centre at Ibbagamuwa last week. This Centre was modernized at a cost of Rs one million.

The Minister said that there was a great development in the local textile industry before 1977.

"Even the then Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike always wore handloom sarees. Our textile industry declined with the setting up of a large number of garment factories equipped with modern machinery. But today this industry is progressing," Dehigama said.