Rayagada: Dongria women will soon make use of machines to weave their famous Kapdaganda shawls instead of following the tedious way of weaving them in hands, a report said.
Moreover, proper marketing facility will also be provided to sale these shawls on e-commerce platforms like Amazon and Government e-market (GEM), the report said.
This was stated here at a one-day workshop organised by the ministry of handlooms, textiles and handicrafts at a city hotel here. The Dongria women living in Rayagada district will be provided training to weave their shawls in machines and arrangements will be made to sell their products on these e-commerce platforms. The machines have been made available due to the the efforts of deputy director Kumari Shailaja of the Handloom ministry.
Reports said 44 Dongria women artisans of Khajuri and Khambesu villages and 22 Dokra artisans of Gotiguda village were given away with identity cards provided by the Union government for the first time in this programme.
Collector Pramod Kumar Behera gave away 20 sewing machines and other necessary materials to the Dongria women. Other officials exuded hope that this will help in weaving more shawls which will be eventually sold in the market and on e-commerce platforms.
Amazon state head Durga Madhab Nahak and GEM representative Sudhansu Pradhan provided necessary tips on the sales of Kapdaganda shawls and Dokra articles on the e-commerce platforms.
In the next phase, 44 more Dongria women will be trained to weave Kapdaganda shawls in machines and their sales on e-commerce platforms. In subsequent phases, at least 500 Dongria artisans will be provided with identity cards and government support.
PNN
