Karnataka: Weavers’ Collective Sends Back Funds Received From State Government To Protest Bureaucratic Red Tape

Facing the brunt of government apathy and bureaucratic red tape, a collective of handloom weavers in Karnataka has decided to give back to the government funds to the tune of Rs 33 lakh which were transferred to it after a seven-year wait, in a sign of protest, reports The Hindu.

Charaka, a woman’s multipurpose industrial cooperative society, and Desi, an NGO wanted to set up the Institute for Research and Development of Natural Dyes at Heggodu in Shivamogga district and back in 2012 the government on its own announced its willingness to join the project in order to promote traditional hand-made industry products.

The allotment of land for the institute took two years and it took an astounding three years to secure a no objection certificate (NoC) from the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board plus two years to get NoC from the Shivamogga Zilla Panchayat.

The money at present is in a joint account with a set of conditions. Which is why Desi founder Prasanna on 6 June wrote to the Development Commissioner Textiles, requesting him to take back the money.

He said, “We were elated when the government announced its intention to join us. After several years, ₹33 lakh has been released and it is sitting in a joint account. Citing one reason or the other, the government’s law has ensured that the money has not been released. We are tired of coming to the government repeatedly for the past seven years. Please take the money back and release us from this red tape.”