Union Education and Skill Development Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has requested MSME Minister Narayan Tatu Rane to set up a power loom cluster in the silk city for economic development of weavers who make the famous Berhamapuri Patta (silk saree).
The weavers community named Dera are the people responsible for the biennial world famous Thakurani Yatra of Goddess Thakurani, the presiding deity of Brahmapur. The centuries old patta saree weaving art which is appreciated across the country and abroad needs some boosting by the Government to flourish further, Pradhan was urged by former State BJP secretary Srikant Padhi.
The Berhampuri Patta and Joda have got the GI tag. The patta is generally in high demand during marriage, thread ceremony and festivals, he said and drew Pradhan’s attention to the plight of the weavers in Ganjam district.
Padhi also wrote to Union Textiles Minister Piyush Goyal and Darshana Jordosh on the issue. Padhi had urged the concerned Ministers for the sanction of a power loom cluster in the silk city under the Comprehensive Powerloom Cluster Development Scheme for the survival of weavers.
Pradhan urged Rane to include the weavers and artisans in the cluster scheme or any other schemes suitable for them. He asked Rane to personally intervene in the matter and take necessary action for the larger interest of the public.
Notably, the number of weavers of Berhamapur patta has been dwindling as the young generation is not interested in taking up the family occupation due to a lack of adequate support from the Government. Earlier, 500 weavers families earned their livelihood by weaving silk saris and other cloth products but now their number has been reduced to around 50.