Sambalpur: As many as 21 weavers received financial assistance from the Ministry of Textile, GoI during the ‘Scheme Benefit Distribution’ ceremony organised on the third day of ‘Tana-Bana District Handloom Expo-2023’ at IIM Sambalpur, one of India’s premier management institutions.
On the occasion, social worker and philanthropist Mridula Pradhan, IIM Sambalpur Director Prof Mahadeo Jaiswal, and Rengali MLA Nauri Nayak gave away the cheques of financial assistance to the weavers.
Nauri Nayak, who graced the event as the chief guest, said, “This expo is a matter of pride for Sambalpur, as Sambalpuri cloth is famous all over the world. It will help in increasing the sales of local handicraft products.”
The special guest Mridula Pradhan said, “After completion of MBA, students should initiate start-ups for local Sambalpuri handicraft products as weavers are not getting the real value for their products. Through the startups, Sambalpuri handloom products will also be promoted globally.”
In his welcome address IIM Sambalpur Director Jaiswal said, “IIM Sambalpur is working to promote Odisha’s art, culture, and local products at the national level. IIM Sambalpur is also working on how local people can benefit from natural resources and create an entrepreneurship culture. We are also working on a project called www.bunkarvalleys.com to promote local handloom at the national level. IIM Sambalpur as per its MoU with Flipkart and SIDBI is also promoting weavers’ products into digital market platforms.”
During the expo, out of 21 weavers 11 weavers received workshed assistance of `1.20 lakh each, while 10 weavers received lighting unit assistance of `15,000 each. This financial support was extended under the outside cluster development program scheme from Ministry of Textile, GoI.
The funds sanctioned for the workshed assistance will be utilised for constructing handloom worksheds, while the funds sanctioned for the lighting units will be utilised for the purchase of solar light units. It is to be recalled that hosted by the IIM Sambalpur, the 5- day expo is being organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Textiles, and the Weavers’ Service Centre, Bhubaneswar.
The expo is featuring over 25 stalls showcasing a diverse range of handloom products. This included exquisite sarees, bedsheets, dress materials, table runners, umbrellas, and various other fabric-based products crafted using the traditional handloom techniques of Odisha. A large number of people were seen at the expo.
PNN
