The Centre for Resource Education (CRE), a non-governmental organization (NGO) based in Andhra Pradesh, will train workers in the handloom sector of the State to make and use organic dyes. The CRE will work in association with Thanal Conservation, Action and Information Network.

The training, which will begin in February, is intended to help the workforce in the handloom sector to get familiarised with the modern techniques as the Government subsides for the sector will be stopped by the turn of this year, CRE Executive Director, D. Narasimha Reddy said during visit to the state.

The training is part of a nation wide plan to revive the handloom sector to face the challenges, as the trade restrictions will be lifted on January 5, 2005. The impact of such a situation has never been assessed. It is feared that the precarious fluctuations of the market would affect those who are depending on the handloom sector all over the country.

According to Narasimha Reddy, the problem has to be tackled in two ways. At one level, the politicians should build up a resistance movement against the policies of the Government, which are harmful for the sector, in which most of the workers are women.