Powerloom owners across Maharashtra have received a major respite after the state government extended the deadline for mandatory online registration of powerlooms till August 14, ensuring continued access to electricity bill subsidies under the state scheme.

The decision was taken at a high-level meeting held at Mantralaya on Thursday in the presence of Maharashtra School Education Minister Dada Bhuse, Textile Minister Sanjay Savkare, senior textile department officials, and representatives from key textile hubs including Bhiwandi, Malegaon and Ichalkaranji.

Under the existing policy, online registration is compulsory for powerloom operators seeking electricity subsidy benefits. However, a large number of loom owners had been facing technical and procedural hurdles while completing the registration process, leading to widespread concern within the sector.

During the meeting, representatives of various powerloom associations highlighted the practical difficulties being encountered by operators across the state. Following discussions with industry stakeholders, textile department officials introduced a simplified registration format aimed at making the process more accessible and user-friendly.

The revised registration format received approval from Textile Minister Sanjay Savkare, while officials also announced that textile department teams would visit major powerloom clusters and participate in registration camps organised by industry associations to assist loom owners with the online process.

The extension is expected to provide substantial relief to thousands of powerloom operators who depend on electricity subsidies to manage rising operational costs amid ongoing financial stress in the textile sector.

Meanwhile, Tirupati Siripuram, president of the Bhiwandi Powerloom Majuri Beam Weavers and Owners Association, raised concerns over the alleged involvement of middlemen and agents who were misleading loom owners during the registration process.

Taking serious note of the issue, Textile Minister Sanjay Savkare cautioned powerloom owners against relying on agents and warned that strict action would be taken against anyone found exploiting operators in the name of registration assistance.

Textile department officials further assured industry representatives that the revised and simplified registration form would soon be uploaded on the department’s official portal to enable hassle-free registration across Maharashtra’s powerloom sector.