Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Handicrafts Draft Policy–2026 has been prepared with a strong focus on the protection, preservation, and promotion of handicrafts, while ensuring the welfare and empowerment of artisans, Hand looms, Textiles and Handicrafts Minister Pradeep Bal Samanta said Thursday. He was speaking as chief guest at the inauguration of a consultative workshop held at a City hotel here. The minister said handicrafts reflect the spirit and identity of Odisha’s culture, while artisans are the true custodians of the state’s rich heritage.
Department Commissioner-cum-Secretary Guha Poonam Tapas Kumar delivered the keynote address and presented a detailed overview of the draft policy. She said the policy has been framed in line with the goals of Developed Odisha @ 2036 and the Odisha Vision Document. She added that the policy would be finalised after incorporating constructive suggestions from intellectuals, experts, designers, academicians, exporters, and artisans.
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Several key issues were discussed during the workshop, including expanding market access for artisans, tackling competition from machine-made products, ensuring adequate raw material supply, and attracting younger generations through innovative designs.
Discussions also focused on digital marketing, linking artisans to global markets, strengthening cooperative societies, promoting handicraft entrepreneurship, encouraging GI-tagged products, and supporting startup incubation in the handicrafts sector. The workshop was attended by Director of Handicrafts Nivedita Prusty, Managing Director of Utkalika Pratap Chandra Hota, and Padma Shri awardees Binod Maharana and Prabhakar Maharana, along with noted academicians, designers, exporters, cooperative experts, and handicraft officers from across Odisha. National and state award-winning artisans also participated, offering valuable suggestions to strengthen the state’s handicrafts ecosystem.
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