Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)
Bengaluru, Jun 12: 'Bhagya' in Kannada means good fortune or prosperity. The present state government has already come out with a series of 'Bhagya' schemes including Anna Bhagya, Ksheerabhagya, Shaadibhagya etc. From the next financial year, 'Vastra Bhagya (boon of clothes)' is proposed to added to this list.
Under this scheme, women members of below poverty line (BPL) families in the state are proposed to be gifted with saris and blouses, while the men and male children will get dhotis, shalya (piece of cloth for covering upper body), and shirts during important festivals. 'Proposal for 'Vastra Bhagya' scheme is being prepared. We want to introduce this scheme with effect from the year 2016-17', said textiles minister, Baburao Chinchanasur. He was speaking to media persons at Vidhan Soudha on Thursday June 11.
Chinchanasur explained that during the previous regime headed by BJP, a programme to distribute saris to women had been formulated. He said that this has been modified to include blouse along with saris for women, and dhotis, Shalyas and shirts to male members of the families. He added that these clothes are likely to be provided to BPL families during three or four important festivals every year.
'Most of the population in the state belong to either Hindu, Muslim, or Catholic community. Discussions are on about the prospects of providing clothes to them on important festivals in their respective religions,' he explained. He said that the state has 1.25 power looms and 75,000 hand looms, and that the clothes needed for running the above scheme would be bought from weavers cooperative societies directly.