Khadi and handicraft mall soon in capital

Bhubaneswar: To promote khadi industries, the state government has given instructions for expediting the process of construction of a khadi and handicraft mall. The proposed mall is expected to come up in the premises of Khadi and Village Industries Board functioning in Kharavel Nagar area in the state capital, officials said today.

It has been decided that the mall will be constructed in partnership between Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO) and Khadi & Village Industries Board. IDCO has been advised to engage a professional architect for preparing the design of the building.

It will be a multi-storied mall with a variety of facilities. Different varieties of handicraft products along with handloom and khadi products will be kept in the mall for exhibition and sale. At a high-level meeting held here recently, Chief Secretary B K Patnaik has advised IDCO to ensure optimum use of the land and leave sufficient open space for parking and other activities.

It has also been decided that Khadi Board as the anchor operator of the mall will also provide opportunities to credible societies and enterprises operating in the field to open their shops after due scrutiny.