Bhadrak: Good news for the moribund handloom sector in Bhadrak. Weavers of Jiragambhira and RG Patana under Sadar block are expected to avail of much-needed government help soon.
A team of the textiles and handloom department led by deputy director Golapi Goparani Murmu visited the two villages and took stock of the socio-economic condition of the weavers’ families Thursday.
The team comprising assistant director of ORMAS, Gundicha Behera, district project manager of Odisha Livelihood Mission, Sanjay Kumar Barik, and some other officials saw the miserable condition in which the weavers’ families are struggling to keep their pots boiling.
They somehow manage to work on geriatric looms. The weavers eke out a meagre living from producing napkins, lungis and dhotis with the old looms.
The government team assured the weavers that they will initiate steps to ensure use of mechanised looms, make provision of skill development training, organise workshops and set up buildings to install the new looms.
The officials came to know that about 61 weavers’ families used to depend on this traditional occupation earlier at Jiragambhira, but many of them have switched over to other professions over the years for various factors. Only 21 families have stuck to the age-old occupation.
Likewise, in RG Patana, 76 families were earlier dependent on weaving activities while their number has come down to 17 now.
The officials held talks with weavers Kailash Behera, Kartik Behera, Rabindra Behera, Dambaru Behera and Nabakishore Behera on ways to revive the sector and motivate weavers to make clothes for the young generation.
In a bid to boost the handloom sector, Collector Gyana Ranjan Das had organised a three-day exhibition-cum-sale of handloom items at Sanskruti Bhawan a few days ago.
The team also visited the Bhadrak Weavers’ Cooperative Society and the Jagakalia Weavers’ Society and enquired about lending and marketing of handloom products.
The officials’ visit and their assurances have rekindled hopes among the weavers for revival of the handloom sector in the two villages.
