The government is planning to link tourism with handloom. What is the primary objective behind this? What is the plan?

The process of linking handloom and handicrafts with tourism has already begun. At Raghurajpur in Puri district, handloom has already been successfully linked to tourism. The primary objective behind this is to give the artisans and weavers a big platform to showcase their products and directly sell them to the consumers, especially foreigners. Keeping this in mind, exhibitions are being organised to ensure that foreigners visit the area and directly buy the handicrafts from the artisans. People living in the vicinity of Raghurajpur can display their products. Efforts are on to start similar projects at Sukuapada near Lalitgiri and Nrusinghanath in Bargarh.

Why is Raghurajpur being highlighted every time while other places of importance remain comparatively neglected? Though Raghurajpur is already popular, Rs 10 crore has again been invested at a time many ancient crafts are declining in other districts and artisans are dying of hunger and quitting their traditional profession… 

After I assumed charge, I have made efforts to revive the dying sectors, particularly the ancient crafts. All the liquidated societies have been revived. We are giving them loans, solar lanterns and also trying to develop their skills. We have also tried to revive their dying units through the rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) package. We have given targets to all the zones to create new samitis and revive the old ones. Besides, we are organising various exhibitions including the Toshali international exhibition to give a market linkage to the artisans and weavers. Also, we are bringing international designers of repute such as Anjali Mahtania, Rajesh Pathak and others here to create a fusion and prepare our products to suit market demands. We can market their products successfully in the international market. Our officials, along with the artisans, will go to Bali in Indonesia next month to take part in the international trade fair. With the support of Asian Development Foundation, efforts are being made to revive the ancient craft. On a pilot basis, work has begun in Nabarangpur and Koraput. If the project is successful, it will spread to other areas and we will invest Rs 600 crore in this. 

Many weavers in Berhampur have left their traditional craft and are turning into daily wagers for employment. Gold and silver weaving on patta sarees is almost completely extinct. What steps have been taken to preserve such handloom traditions of the state?

This is not only confined to Berhampur alone. It is a phenomenon across the state. Now with the government’s positive intervention and chief minister’s personal initiatives, things have changed. Attempts have been made to revive the dying societies. Each zone has been given a task to revive the societies. We are also trying to create a database on the number of weavers and artisans. Once this is completed, it will be of great help to us.  Earlier, the handloom sector was under a threat as no market linkage was provided to sell their products. We have now tied up with the online sellers such as Amazon, Snapdeal and Gocoop for this purpose. We are now giving thrust on the skill development of artisans. We are bringing international designs and trying to create a fusion here. Our products are now available in countries such as France, German, Canada and USA.

Silver and gold filigree artists have earned Cuttack the title of Silver City but they are now quitting the profession. Many of them were looking forward to the silver filigree hub that the state government had promised but which, as published in The Telegraph (on June 10, 2014), is yet to materialise because of non-availability of land. Has any land been allocated now for the purpose? 

We have identified three acres belonging to the tourism department in Cuttack for this. The process of alienation has already been completed. With the help of the tourism department, we will soon set up the hub there. Once the hub is established, their lives will change.

What about the development of Pipili handicrafts park? When is it going to happen? 

We had asked the Puri collector to provide seven acres near the new by-pass on the national highways connecting Puri and Bhubaneswar. The land has recently been identified. After consultation with various government agencies, we will start the handicrafts park. By the end of next year, everything will be ready and the artisans will be given new place to start their own business with government support. We want to see that the handicrafts of Pipili continue to sought after across the globe.

A handloom and handicraft policy will be drafted within a month’s time, said chief minister Naveen Patnaik in May at a review meeting of the textile, handloom and handicrafts department. He also announced about the revival of dying co-operative societies and that a textile park and handicrafts museum would also be fast tracked. What has been done so far? 

All the work to formulate the policy has already been completed.  It is now in the draft stage. There was delay as the government was busy in bringing out a new industrial policy. The industrial policy is linked to the handicraft and handloom policy.  On the issue of a handicrafts museum, I can say that our curators have already visited different states and seen their museums. They have studied how these museums are procuring products. The proposal will soon be a reality. 

An incubation centre to encourage budding handloom designers and weavers will shortly be constructed near the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) building in Bhubaneswar, it was said in January. How far has the work on this progressed?

The building work has already been completed. It will take some time to set up the centre.

The tussle between the Puri Jagannath temple administration and artisans using stone for their crafts is growing. Last month, the handicraft, handloom and textile department had announced to create raw material bank by mining the required stones in Nahargarh, Khurda and Khiching in Mayurbhanj. However, its promises are falling flat since the mines belong to the Puri Jagannath temple and the temple administration has decided not to allow the department to mine there. What happens to the promises made to the craftsmen? 

Because of the Centre’s mining policy, a piquant situation has developed and consequently, artisans were unable to get the right kind of stones. Now with the intervention of the state government, things have changed. On the issue of mining the required stones, we have already made an understanding with the Jagannath temple. The NOC has already been issued in our favour and the mining of stones will begin shortly.

You are a prominent leader in west Odisha that has reported a large number of farmer suicide cases. We want to know whether farmers are actually committing suicide.

Suicide is painful and I have full sympathy for the families of the victims. My party is also with them. We have taken a number of steps to address the problems of farmers. On the issue of suicide, I can say that the district collectors after inquiring into the cases, have sent their reports to the government. The state government is examining these cases with all sympathy.

The chief minister addressed a rally of farmers at Sohela on Thursday but remained mum on the issue of farmers’ suicides. Some of your party colleagues have said that farmers are committing suicide due to debt burden. What’s your take? 

The chief minister had come to Sohela not to debate on this issue. He had come to send a message that the government is with the farmers and he has successfully delivered the message. You must have noticed how thousands of farmers turned up to attend the rally. The Opposition is unnecessarily politicising the sensitive issue. 

You are emerging as a prominent leader in west Odisha. It has been alleged that your equations with former minister and Bargarh heavyweight Prasanna Acharya are not so good…

I never try to be number one or two. I always want to be with the people and fight for their cause and be of help to the people. Prasanna Acharya is a senior leader of the district and he is doing a lot of organisational work. I have all respect for him and there is no question of competition

RISING STAR

First-time MLA from Attabira, 47-year-old Snehangini, hails from a political family

She is a postgraduate  in political science and also has a BEd 

Before joining politics, she had worked as a teacher and also a gram panchayat extension officer 

After getting a call from Naveen, she jumped into electoral politics in 2009 but was defeated. In 2014, she got elected from the Attabira Assembly constituency

WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE BEEN if NOT A POLITICIAN?

I belong to a political family. Both my father and father-in-law had established themselves as political leaders in their respective areas. Since my childhood, I had dreamt of becoming a politician. Before joining politics, I had worked as teacher and later as a headmistress. Subsequently, I even joined the government service. Perhaps, I would have worked as a teacher