Odisha To Scale Up International Visibility Of State's Tie And Dye Varieties

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has decided to mobilise private investment in the handloom sector in order to create a global brand of the traditional tie and dye varieties, an official said.

The issue was discussed at a high-level meeting chaired by chief secretary A K Tripathy here on Monday. He asked the department of Textile, Handloom and Handicraft to scale up international visibility through organization of expo-exhibitions at various prominent places and star hotels, the official said.

Tripathy suggested the department on mobilizing private sector investment in development of the handloom sector. "Identify good performers' from among the officers and technical experts in the department, entrust them with responsibility of working out aspirational business models and sell those with prospective private partners," the chief secretary told department secretary Shubha Sharma.

Sharma was also asked to interact with the technicians and artisans and brace them up for higher ends.

The chief secretary also directed the department to develop Balijury Haat of Bargarh district to the Largest Open Ground Cloth Market in Asia with modern amenities and all types of market linkages.

In order to attract young talents to the sector, the chief secretary directed the department to start internship and scholarship programmes in the fields of innovative design, motif making, banding, mixing, yarn making and other activities.

Sharma apprised the meeting that 'Pasapali', 'Sonepuri', 'Bomkai' and 'Kotpad' designs of Odisha are fast moving varieties. These sarees have greater potential of being developed to 'world designs'.

Taking an area wise review of the Ikat designs in Odisha, Tripathy also directed the department to "transform Odishas best products to world brands through addition of high design, affluent colour, towering quality and supreme prominence".

"The benefit of such interventions should go to the weavers and artisans", Tripathy said adding that the department needs to scale up international visibility through organization of expo-exhibitions at various prominent places and star hotels.

The meeting decided to focus on these popular varieties in the first phase. Though the size of the handloom market in Odisha has been enhanced to the tune of Rs 600 to Rs 700 crore per annum so far, the chief secretary has directed to department to multiply the turnover in coming years.

The meeting also decided that internationally reputed designers would be invited to be involved in the promotion of Odisha's designs.

The weavers would be provided good quality yarn in advance to keep their looms running, the meeting resolved. The groups like Bayanika, Utkalika and Sambalpuri Bastralaya would be provided interest free working capital to purchase products from the weavers.

This apart, the department also planned to focus on e-commerce.

Textile director JP Dash said that there has been a tie up with Flipkart, Amazon and GoCoop.

"It is further decided to connect more and more wavers with GEM (government e-market place) portal for direct sale their products at best price," Dash said.

The senior officers of the department of Textile, Handloom & Handicraft, Bayanika, Utkalika and Sambalpuri Bstralaya participated in the deliberations.

(PTI)

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