While the beautiful stone items and sculptures of the Lalitgiri-Sukhuapada area is attracting attention of the globe, the State Government has urged the Union Ministry of Textiles for setting up of a Craft Village in the cluster.
In fact, Lalitgiri-Sukhuapada area is famous for stone carving cluster, which falls in the Buddhist circuit. Being one of the top destinations for international tourists, stone products have caught the eyes of the travellers.
Looking at the bright prospects of business on stone sculptures, a detailed proposal report has been submitted by Odisha State Cooperative Handicrafts Corporation Limited (Utkalika) to the Development Commissioner (DC), Handicrafts, in Ministry of Textiles, Government of India.
Secretary Handloom, Textiles and Handicrafts Subha Sarma is in touch with DC Handicrafts in this regard, said sources. While Lalitgiri is in Cuttack district, Sukhuapada is in Jajpur district and both are adjacent to each other and are emerging as a major tourist destination. The villagers of the area create idols, grinders, pots, flower vases out of stones, which are artistically unique. However, due to lack of institutional support, the artisans are facing a lot of difficulties.
The Archeological Survey of India has set up the Lalitgiri Museum, which is attracting a large number of Buddhist tourists from all over the world. The Union Government has earlier approved a Craft Village Project in the world famous Raghurajpur of Puri district with a cost of Rs10 crore.
Raghurajpur is a heritage village having 200 plus houses and each house has unique item painted on the walls like art gallery. All the villagers are involved in Pattachitra, paintings, masks, toys and stone carvings.
The Idco has been implementing the Craft Village Project with the released amount of Rs 6 crore. Rest amount of Rs 4 crore is needed to be released and accordingly, the State Government has approached the DC Handicrafts in this regard.
With delay in releasing funds, the project completion is getting delayed, said a senior official in district administration of Puri. Another proposal of issuing identity cards to handicraft artisans of the State is pending with DC Handicrafts.
While the State Government has shared the database on handicraft artisans to the Ministry of Textiles, the DC Handicrafts is needed to complete the formalities so that all the artisans will be able to receive their ID cards. The ID cards are necessary as these artisans are moving to various States to join in the national exhibitions and in absence of ID cards they are facing difficulties, said sources.
Looking at the large scale potential of handicraft and related development taking place in the State, the Odisha Government has approached Ministry of Textiles to open a Regional Office of DC Handicrafts in Bhubaneswar and another office at Koraput.