The government of Uttarakhand is committed to bring the backward community into the social mainstream and conserve the dying skill of handicraft in the State. The Minister of revenue, irrigation, rural engineering, roads and technical education Yashpal Arya said this while addressing management committee meeting of ‘Hari Prasad Tamta traditional craft development centre’ at Vidhan Sabha auditorium here on Tuesday.
He said that the State Government is working in the direction of setting up a centre at Almora after the name of Hari Prasad Tamta. He informed that the department of horticulture has handed over a 3.5 acre piece of land for the centre at Garudabaj in Almora district. The minister said that the state government has released a sum of Rs 1 Crore for construction of boundary of the area and budget for construction of the building would be released in next budget.
He said that the proposed centre would be developed for promotion of culture in the state so that the dying handicraft skills are conserved. Arya said that this centre would also function as a research centre. The artisan belonging to SC/ ST and other backward castes would be trained so that they get self employment opportunities.
In the meeting the Principal secretary small and micro industry M H Khan informed that the Hyderabad based National Institute of Design is handed over the task of survey for the proposed centre. The centre would employ about 15 people as a faculty who would train people on skills like handicraft, musical instrument made up of copper and other crafts.
Yashpal Arya was of the opinion that the centre is being set up for alleviation of artisans and art in the state as it would help in increasing the income of artists. He said that though the construction of building would take about 2 years the centre would start functioning in a rented premises. The minister said that old and experienced artists would be employed as master trainers in this institute. These master trainers would share their experiences with the upcoming artists.
The additional director Industries S K Nautiyal said that three workshops for the artists would be organised in the month of February. These workshops would be held at Almora, Srinagar and Dehradun. He said that the boarding and lodging facilities for the artists would be provided by the government in these workshops.
Former Member of Parliament (MP) Pradeep Tamta suggested that training of traditional knowledge and modern equipment should be imparted to the trainees in the centre so that task of employment generation is accomplished. The meeting was attended by MlA from Tharali Jeetram, former IAS Chandra Singh and others.