AP rolls out free power for weavers, scheme to cost Rs 150 cr annually

Amaravati: The Andhra Pradesh government, led by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, on Wednesday rolled out free electricity for handloom weavers, fulfilling a key election promise aimed at supporting the struggling sector.

Under the scheme, handloom units will receive free power up to 200 units per month, while power loom units will get up to 500 units. The initiative is de-signed to ease the burden of rising electricity costs and provide financial stabil-ity to weaving families across the state.

Around 93,000 handloom households and 11,488 power loom units are ex-pected to benefit directly. The scheme will cost the state exchequer approxi-mately Rs150 crore annually. Officials said the subsidy will translate into sav-ings of about Rs8,640 per year for each handloom family and up to Rs21,600 annually for power loom operators.