Textiles, Handlooms and Handicrafts Minister Snehangini Chhuria on Thursday said a special handicraft exhibition would be organised at the Nilachal Urban Haat in Puri during the upcoming Nabakalebar festival.
Addressing a meeting of general managers of the District Industry Centres at the State Institute for Development of Arts and Crafts (SIDAC) here, Churria asked the officers to start arrangements in this regard. The Minister asked them to make contacts with both State and Nationally-acclaimed artisans and other handcraft artisans for collection of quality products to be showcased at the proposed exhibition.
“lakhs of tourists from inside and outside the country are expected to gather at Puri during the upcoming Nabakalebar festival. Hence, arrangements should be made beforehand to popularise State’s marvelous handicraft products during the festival,” Chhuria told officers.
It was decided that important craft villages and clusters would be identified through signage, which would mention information about particular crafts.
Among other issues discussed at the meeting include setting up of raw material banks for artisans, development of craft villages through SHGs and provision of various aids for village artisans. Among others, Handicrafts Director Sanghamitra Kanungo, Additional Director Bijay Kumar Panda and Utkalika MD Gayatri Patnaik were present.