THE INITIATIVE

• Automation of Pochampalli sari weaving

THE BENEFICIARIES

• Weavers suffering from the drudgery of manual handloom operations, Andhra Pradesh

THE CHALLENGE

• The manual process of weaving involved lifting 10 kilograms of weight to press down the pedal 9,000 times a day for a sar
• Strenuous physical movement was taking a toll on the health of weavers, also dissuading others from taking up the activity

THE SOLUTION

• NABARD provided assistance to Shri Chintakindi Mallesham of Nalgonda district for designing a machine which has partly mechanised the weaving process

THE IMPACT

• Process of making a tie-and-dye silk sari in the Pochampalli tradition eased by the Laxmi Asu Machine; manual labour reduced by 99%
• Double production since weavers save 8-9 HOURS a day
• Reduction in health related hazards and migration to urban area