Amaravati, March 25, 2026: The Centre has released ₹19.47 crore under the National Handloom Development Programme to develop 44 handloom clusters in Andhra Pradesh, directly benefiting 10,047 weavers.
Union Minister of Textiles Giriraj Singh confirmed on March 24 that a second instalment of aid will follow for ongoing projects.
Andhra Pradesh is home to 1,27,662 handloom weavers as per the Fourth All India Handloom Census 2020, with over 49,000 people engaged in handloom and allied activities.
Districts like Guntur lead with five clusters, while the Godavari region has nine and Srikakulam’s Ponduru area features two. This central support strengthens traditional skills, especially in iconic centres like Uppada in Kakinada district, known for its Jamdani saris.
