Chief Minister Harish Rawat has instructed the officials concerned to raise the amount of the awards meant for the artisans while stressing on expanding the horizon so as to bring more and more artisans in accordance with the State Government's eagerness to encourage them to keep alive the State's unique culture. He also instructed them to install pictures of the artisans in the parks to be developed by the cooperatives and MSME besides at the important thoroughfares to enthuse them to perform better.
On the occasion of Jhumelo, Harela and Ghee-Sankrant Mahotsav, Rawat distributed prizes among the artists who contributed to the success of the mahotsav.
He expressed hope that these artists would be inspirational for the budding ones. "Our cultural heritage having come on the verge of extinction, it is our duty to revive the dying culture in its full glory. To promote the folk artists and the culture they embody, we have been organising the mahotsav. It is our duty to make sure that the people at large identify with the State's folk culture. This is to ensure that the future generation can be acquainted with the culture and tradition the State personifies," the CM said.
He said that the artisans based in the hills are adepts in churning out wonderful objects of art out of stones and woods. They are unique in constructing houses, he said. "The art is an enigma to the engineers and while we are promoting this art, our focus is on popularising the indigenous art in the building of houses across Uttarakhand," he said. Besides, he stressed on presenting the pilgrims and the tourists with the State's own food . "As south Indian dishes are available on the way to Char Dhams we should encourage the people to serve the pilgrims and the tourists with Uttarakhand's own dishes," the CM said. "We want to develop our brass art on the pattern of Moradabad," he said.
He dwelt on the medicinal value inherent in the local food. "The people as a whole should adopt this on a regular basis. It has been noticed that the villagers of the State who consume the locally produced food are less anaemic than others. For the women, things are particularly so. The mother-infant mortality rate (MIMR) is lower among those who partake the local food. They are rich in minerals and vitamins. If we start taking them regularly we would stop falling sick. The efficacy of such food is for all of us to test," CM said.
He further said that a general trend of the villagers migrating to Dehradun would be mitigated if the people across the state opt for the local food. "The demand for the local agricultural produce would rise and accordingly, the villagers would be less inclined to leave their villages. The State Government on its part would extend all kinds of support to the cause of the local food's revival," he said.
He assured that from next year, the Government would host Uttarakhandi food court along with exhibitions.