A delegation of the Odisha Swarna and Roupya Silpi Mahasanga led by its advisor Dr Shiva Sankar Achari met senior BJD leader Rama Chandra Panda here and submitted a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister on issue of paying stipend to the students of goldsmith community of the State.
The delegation requested Panda to bring it to the notice of the State Government for continuance of stipend/fellowship to the students/wards of the goldsmith community which was started by late Bijubabu during his tenure as the Chief Minister of the State.
According to the delegation, there are about 2 lakh active goldsmiths in the entire State out of which 40,000 of them are alone in Ganjam district. Goldsmiths are under OBC category.
The delegation also requested the State Government to recognize the goldsmiths as industrial workers and the ornament making trade as cottage industry. They also demanded issue of handicraft card to all the workers engaged in the trade and manufacturing of ornament making in the State. Among other things, they requested the Government for amending section 411 of IPC to prevent misuse by the Central Excise and Police.
