Promoting handloom: Boyanika drape for Odisha school teachers

Bhubaneswar: In an attempt to promote handlooms and support weavers, Odisha government has decided to replace the existing uniform for teachers with Boyanika sarees.

Informing about the development, Handlooms, Textiles & Handicrafts Minister, Snehangini Chhuria said, teachers of both high school and upper primary schools will wear Boyanika sarees from this academic session.

Subsequently, the uniform of students will also be replaced with the same hand-woven textile materials. However, colour of the uniform will remain the same.

The move aims at strengthening the financial status of the hand weavers along with ensuring that they get work throughout the year.

"At a high-level meeting held in the presence of Higher Education minister, School and Mass Education minister and other officials, the decision of making Boyanika sarees mandatory for High schools and Upper primary school teachers was taken today. Later, it will be implemented for school students as well."

"This step has been taken to empower weavers in the state so that their social and economic status can be improved," she added.