Six days after mid-day’s story on how demonetisation has switched off the powerlooms of Bhiwandi (December 4), union textile minister Smriti Irani visited the site and assured the workers that significant changes would be introduced soon
Union textile minister Smriti Irani interacts with the officials at a Bhiwandi powerloom on Saturday
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Six days after mid-day’s story on how demonetisation has switched off the powerlooms of Bhiwandi (December 4), union textile minister Smriti Irani visited the site and assured the workers that significant changes would be introduced soon.
She took a tour of the powerlooms for over three hours on Saturday. Later, in a public interaction session at Pakiza Hotel she said, “I know that the difficulties the workers are facing is endangering the powerlooms. We are discussing the matter in the cabinet and will soon take the needed steps.”
She instructed BJP members, powerloom owners and bank employees present at the interaction to ensure every worker gets a bank account at the earliest. Kapil Patil, Member of Parliament, Bhiwandi, said, “As per my information, this is the first time a textile minister has visited Bhiwandi. Irani has given us hope. Once the powerlooms go back to functioning, the workers who have left will start returning,” he said.