Shilpi Mahasangha members call on Minister
The Odisha Shilpi Mahasangha has urged the State Government to provide assistance to weavers and craftsmen for loss of raw materials and stocks due to Cyclone Fani and slowdown in sale of products due to zero visits of tourists in the aftermath of Fani.
A team of Mahasangha led by president Uday Mohanty met Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts Minister Padmini Dian and urged her to provide assistance Rs 8,200 to each of 70,000 craftsmen and 60,000 weavers as per the Chief Minister Relief code.
The apprised the Minister that craft items, cloths set with looms, palm-leaf products, pattachitras, stone images, terracotta, chandua and cloth stocks worth laksh of rupees have been destroyed in rainwater during Fani. Now, many of craftsmen and weavers are leading a miserable life.
They also requested the Minister to make the Handlooms and Handicrafts Development and Promotion Council proactive. “A year has been passed since formatin of the Parishad by the Government. However, not a single rupee out of Rs 20 crore given to the Parishad has been utilised,” they apprised the Minister.
They too lamented saying that the office of council has not yet opened due to unavailability of required furniture and equipments. Besides, they urged the Minister to increase monthly pension of the elderly craftsmen and weavers to Rs 1,200 soon. Among others, Mahasangha and chief adviser Sudarshan Sahoo, Padmini Jena, Sarojini Das, Sharat Pradhan, Indramani Sahoo, Ashok Guin, Jameshwar Behera, Jitendra Parida, Santosh Ojha, Bisheshwar Basu Mallick, Jabar Khan and Priyaranjan Kar were present.