In a small town, powerloom weavers are paid according to the cloth they produce. Power sector reforms in the state end the supply of electricity at subsidised rates. As in the case of Siricilla, the weavers are hit in two ways. Which option correctly gives the two ways?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → A steep rise in power tariff raises their cost, and power cuts reduce cloth output and so their wages.
When subsidised electricity ends, the power tariff rises steeply, so the weavers’ cost goes up. Their wages are linked to the cloth they produce, so a power cut means less cloth and lower wages.
Cheaper imports and the USA’s textile quota are problems of Indian industry in general. They do not come from the power sector reform.
Note: A short box like the Siricilla story can turn into a full cause-and-effect question. Read each box in the chapter as carefully as the main text.
NCERT (2026-27): “Box 3.3: Siricilla Tragedy! Power sector reforms in many Indian states led to do away with the supply of electricity at subsidised rates and steep rise in power tariff. This has affected workers engaged in small industries. Powerloom textile industry in Andhra Pradesh is an example. Since the wages of the powerloom workers are linked to the production of cloth, power cut means cut in wages of weavers, who were already suffering from hike in tariff. …” |