Odisha CM pushes for progress of handicraft and handloom sectors

Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts Department have been directed to finalise a policy for development of handicrafts and handlooms in Odisha within a month. The direction came at a meeting presided over by the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the Secretariat where he reviewed the activities of the department during the last one year.

As the setting up of a textiles park has already been delayed, the department is directed to select the location as early as possible.

The Government had offered to set up textiles park in Odisha as the State did not have the facility. The Government had, however, missed the deadline as the Centre received applications for the textiles park till February 15.

The Centre’s support for the integrated textiles park by way of grant will be limited to 40 percent of the project cost subject to a ceiling of Rs 40 crore. The Government has decided to set up the park with assistance from National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).

The decision to set up a crafts museum in Bhubaneswar is also yet to be implemented.

The department has also been asked to fine tune the package announced by the Government for weavers, artisans and sericulture farmers. Though a decision was taken by the Government to develop 20 Handloom/Handicrafts, it is yet to be implemented.

Other decisions which remain to be implemented separate welfare funds with an initial corpus provision of Rs 50 lakh for sericulture farmers and handicrafts artisans are also yet to be created.