Sambalpur: As many as 21 weavers were handed over financial assistance from the Ministry of Textile at Tana-Bana District Handloom Expo-2023 organised in IIM, Sambalpur of Odisha.
Rengali MLA Nauri Nayak gave away the cheques to the beneficiaries under the ‘Scheme Benefit Distribution’ ceremony in the expo. Out of 21 weavers, 11 weavers received workshed assistance of Rs 1.20 lakh each, while 10 received lighting unit assistance of Rs 15,000 each.
The financial assistance was extended to the weavers under the outside cluster development programme of the Ministry of Textile. The funds sanctioned for the workshed assistance will be utilised for construction of handloom worksheds, while the funds sanctioned for the lighting units will be utilised for the purchasing of solar light units.
Speaking on the occasion, Nayak said, “This Expo is a matter of pride for Sambalpur as Sambalpuri cloth is famous all over the world. The expo will help in increasing the sales of local handicraft products.”
Prof Mahadeo Jaiswal, Director of IIM Sambalpur, said the institute is working on promoting Odisha’s art, culture, and local products at the national level. “IIM Sambalpur is also working on how local people can benefit from natural resources and create an entrepreneurship culture. We are also engaged in a project called to promote local handloom at the national level,” he added.
Mridula Pradhan, a social worker who attended as special guest, advised the MBA students to initiate start-ups for local Sambalpuri handicraft products as weavers were not getting the real value for their products.
The IIM Sambalpur is organising the 5-day Expo in collaboration with the Ministry of Textiles, and the Weavers’ Service Centre, Bhubaneswar. The expo features over 25 stalls showcasing a wide range of handloom products.
