Hyderabad, Aug. 19 -- Telangana's Handlooms and Textiles minister, Tummala Nageswara Rao, has demanded that the Central government immediately withdraw the five percent Goods and Services Tax (GST) being imposed on handloom products to protect the sector and safeguard the livelihoods of workers.

In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Textiles minister Giriraj Singh on Monday, August 18, Rao highlighted the crisis facing the handloom sector.

He stated that Telangana currently has 23,046 weavers and 34,569 ancillary workers dependent on handloom production for their sustenance.

However, rising raw material costs, coupled with stiff competition from cheaper powerloom and mill-made fabrics, are pushing handloom pro...