Bhubaneswar: Odisha government has paid Rs 1.6 crore to actress Madhuri Dixit Nene after making her the ambassador of state handlooms, a minister informed the state Assembly Wednesday.
Madhuri Dixit has been appointed as the brand ambassador of Odisha handlooms this year and Rs 1.6 crore paid to her from the state exchequer, Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts Minister Pradeep Bal Samanta said in a written reply to a query from BJD legislator Arun Kumar Sahoo in the House.
Besides, flight tickets, accommodation and food arrangements have been made for the actress by the government, he said.
Notably, Madhuri Dixit had visited the state to attend a function held in Bhubaneswar on the occasion of National Handloom Day August 7 this year.
The appointment of Madhuri Dixit aims at promoting Odisha’s traditional handloom sector on the global stage, he said.
Through this initiative, the rich heritage of Odisha’s handloom will gain international recognition, which will lead to a significant improvement in the socio-economic status of the state’s weavers, the minister said.
PTI
