Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra along with Development Commissioner Pradeep Kumar Jena on Saturday visited the Ekamra Haat (Art and Craft Market) here and reviewed the progress of the renovation works like construction of stalls, food court, amphitheatre, kiosks, exhibition shed, conference hall and visitors’ amenity arrangements.
Reviewing the progress, Chief Secretary Sri Mahapara directed to develop the haat as a year round activity center for promotion of the handloom, textile and handicraft along with the Odishi dance, music, performing arts; and,the typical Odiacuisine.
Mahapatra directed Secretary Handloom, Textiles and Handicraft Shubha Sharma to select best artisans from different districts and allot them stalls for a period of two months on rotational basis.
The best products of Odishan filigree, pattachitra, terracotta, brass works, bamboo works, cane works and horn works would be available here for tourists and visitors throughout year. He also directed to earmark stalls for sale of handloom products like Sambalpuri, Bomket, Berhampuri, Manibandi, Bandha. There would be special stalls for typical Odishi food and cuisine. Jena advised the Departments of Odia Language, Literature and Culture and Tourism to act together for organising the best cultural programmes each day in amphitheatre to make the place a tourist attraction.
The Chief Secretary directed to organise typical dance forms of Odisha like Odishi, Gotipua, Ghumura, Sambalpuri, Chhau, Chaiti, Dandanaata, Dalkhai, Ghodanaacha along with various tribal folk forms. Odishi song along with its lyrical variants would also be performed by known artists from different parts of the State.
The credible and trained women SHGs would be allotted stalls for serving the healthy Odishi food and cuisine. The Haat would be managed by State Institute for Development Art and Craft (SIDAC). HT and H Secretary Sharma appraised, “A total of 60 stalls along with 33 exhibition sheds have been built in the Haat. Around 14 stalls would be earmarked for handloom products, 28 for handicraft products and eight as demonstration counters. Besides, there would be 33 exhibition sheds which would be allotted to artisans for exhibition and sale of their products.