Mysuru: Strongly opposing the plans of Tourism and Sericulture Minister S.R. Mahesh’s plan to sell Mysuru Silk Sarees at discounted price of Rs.4,500, the KSIC (Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation) staff staged a protest in front of silk-weaving Factory here on Thursday.

Claiming that the Silk Factory will face serene loss if silk sarees were sold at subsidised rates, the employees said that the Government should take the responsibility if the KSIC unit runs into loss.

Pointing out that the Government has decided to sell silk sarees worth Rs.12,400 at Rs.5,000 and sarees worth Rs.9,040 at Rs.4,500, they said it was not advisable to sell the sarees at discounted rates when the prices of raw materials and manufacturing cost have risen sharply in recent times.

Urging the Government to drop the proposal, the employees threatened to stage an indefinite stir if the Government went ahead with its initiative of offering silk sarees at Rs.4,500.

AITUC, CITU, SC/ST Employees Welfare Association Office-bearers led the protest.

Reacting to the stir by KSIC staff at Mysuru against the Government’s decision to sell silk sarees at a discounted price of Rs.4,500, Sericulture Minister S.R. Mahesh said that he came to know of the stir only on Thursday evening.

Speaking to SOM on Friday, Mahesh said that there were six employee Associations in the KSIC and only some of them staged a demonstration yesterday. Anticipating the staff’s opposition to his plans of offering silk sarees at Rs.4,500, Mahesh said that he had spoken to them, during which they had agreed to the plan. But he does not know what transpired later, he added.

Pointing out that with the model code of conduct in force for Urban Local Body (ULB) polls, the KSIC had sought clearance from the DC for the sale of silk sarees at discounted prices, Mahesh said that, however, the election authorities refused to give clearance citing model code of conduct. Asserting that the Government would go ahead with its plan of selling sarees at rebate once the model code of conduct comes to an end, the Minister clarified that the State Government has taken a decision in this regard and there was no question of going back.