From pedal to power machines

BANGALORE: Taking note from garment industries which are investing heavily into high-tech gadgets, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) too has turned towards hi-tech equipments. Unlike earlier methos, the Palike will now train women from backward community in power sewing machine instead of traditional machines.In order to make women self employed, the BBMP has set up tailoring centres at all its wards. Every six months, women from schedule castes, schedule tribes and other backward class are trained and at the end, BBMP distributes sewing machines.However, BBMP had stopped distributing sewing machines for the past five years.According to a senior official from BBMP, each sewing machine costs `3,750.But Palike will give each beneficiary `3,000 cash. “The sewing machines will be given to 6,322 women who were trained between 2006 and 2009.” BBMP has started the power machine training at six zones including Adugodi.Users do not have to pedal the machine to use this power machine.Speaking to Express, Standing Committee Chairman for Social Justice, K Mahesh Babu said that each power sewing machine costs around `14,000. He said it would be a burden on the BBMP to provide power sewing machines to every trained woman.Mahesh said that instead giving them machines, BBMP will give these women a stipend of `1,300 every month till they undergo the training, which is for six months duration. At the end of the training, BBMP will provide them job at garment industries, he assured.When asked about the beneficiaries, Mahesh said that they will provide the traditional sewing machine to all the women who have undergone training between 2006 and 2009.