Rayagada has scores of artisans and crafts persons, who are toiling hard to meet their both ends meet. But the Corona pandemic has worsened their condition for over one and a half years.
Traditional bamboo artisans are not able to arrange even two square meals for them due to closure of daily markets and weekly haats. Same is the condition of traditional potters. In the absence of tourism in the district and exhibitions outside the district, sale of Dhokra crafts has been abysmally low.
Jhigidi and Gatiguda villages of Bissam Cuttack and Muniguda Blocks of Rayagada district are hub of Dhokra art. There are 60 households with a total of 144 artisans found to be engaged in the Dhokra craft. 78% of the Dhokra artisans are concentrated in Jhigidi where as in Gatiguda it is 22%. This is quite interesting to find that in Gatiguda almost all the artisans are doing jewellery/ornaments whereas in Jhigidi the artisans are doing figurines of tribal male and female, gods, goddesses, animals and birds and decorative items other than jewellery/ornaments. 100% of the households are doing Dhokra craft.
Some men who had migrated to Kerala have returned home after Corona outbreak. They have also come back. As skilled persons, they do not think themselves fit to work as labourers under MGNREGA. Most of the population(40%) are illiterate. 38% know how to put signature despite no formal education. There is no single graduate in these villages till now. Only one is intermediate.
It is a matter of concern that not a single household in both the villages have access to piped water supply and cooking gas in spite of Government's sheer boasting to provide these basic amenities. Considering electricity as an essential service, only 60% households have access to it. 52% households have got their respective toilets with the support of Government sponsored schemes.
Not a single household has access to radio, rickshaw, tractor, smart phone, whats-up, computer, internet, etc. 92% of the households do not have agricultural land. Only 8% of the households have agricultural land. Out of this 5% have less than 1 acre land and 3% have more than 1 acre land. So, there is no safety-net to fall back upon.
Food security is in horrendous situation. Not a single household is able to have food crops for the whole year. 2% of the households are able to get food crops from agriculture for one to two months and four to six months. Only 11% of the families have availed bank loan.
There is no designated workplace with electricity and sitting arrangement for the artisans. Till now the pricing of the products have not been done scientifically. The artisans are not getting fair price and regular work. Most of the artisans are producing in anticipation of market.
There is no assured and constant market of the products. Since most of the artisans are not getting entitlement cards like Artisan Card, they are being deprived of various benefits from Government schemes.
Since artisans are defaulter to Bank, are not able to get financial services from bank at competitive interest rate and subsidies. Various awards/certificates are conferred to the artisans to recognize their craftsmanship and contribution to the development of the Dhokra craft.
These recognitions are aimed to encourage the artisans to continue with the craft in a more enthusiastic and productive manner and also motivate others to emulate them. Accordingly, both Central and State Governments have introduced a number of awards/certificates like Shilp Guru, National Award, State Award, National Merit Certificate, State Merit Certificate, etc. Surprisingly, it is found that out of the total 144 artisan households in the villages, all 100% were found to be completely ignorant about such awards.
Even if they received training with the support of TDCC, after training follow-up is almost negligible. Showcasing of their product, documentation of their work, using of improved technology in reducing the cost of production and diversification of products are some of the areas which need more attention.
Similarly, shawls known as “Kapda Gunda” produced by Dangaria Kandhas, a Primarily Vulnerable Tribal Group(PVTG) inhabiting in Bissam Cuttack, Kalyan Singhpur and Munihuda blocks need to be diversified. While the Tribal World, an outfit sale centre of tribal traditional products opened five years back is almost closed, the GI tag process for “Kapda Gunda” initiated by district administration is still in the cold storage.