Thousands of artisans from across the State under the banner of the Odisha Shilpi Mahasangha held a demonstration before the Assembly here on Friday.
The craft persons and weavers alleged that the Government did not fulfil a single promise it made for them .
They said just 9,000 artisans in Puri have got cyclone Fani assistance of Rs 8,200 while thousands others in 13 districts have been ignored.
About 60,000 weavers and 70,000 craft persons were affected by the storm.
Similarly, the Government on March 5 last had announced a monthly financial assistance of Rs 800 to Rs 1,000, though it could not provide the same to a single person so far. The Mahasangh demanded that the assistance be increased to Rs 3,000 and all artisans (women of 40years of age and men of 50 years age) be included. The Mahasangha further lamented that Rs 20 crore received by the Handlooms and Handicrafts Development and Promotion Council last year was not spent for the welfare of the artisans. Besides it highlighted raw material and procurement difficulties faced by the artisans. Mahasangh president Udaya Mohanty, secretary Priyaranjan Kar and chief advisor Padmashri Sudarshan Sahu, among others were present.