Bhubaneswar: Sisir Saras, an exhibition showcasing rural products, will be hosted in the city on Friday (January 5) to encourage the use of new technologies and business models among the rural manufacturers of the state.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik will inaugurate the exhibiton.

From the intricate cane and bamboo products of Assam and Tripura to the delicate paper mache products of Pondicherry, a range of rural products will be on display at the event. Around 600 craftsmen will exhibit their products in about 300 kiosks at the fair to be held at the Exhibition Ground.

The attractions will be wrought iron products from Uttar Pradesh, tussar silk of Chhattisgarh, woollen products of Manipur, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir, various jute products of West Bengal, silk products from Varanasi, Chanderi silk of Madhya Pradesh, dry flower from Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, home decor items and shawls from Gujarat, leather shoes from Punjab and Rajasthan, jewellery having Meenakari work from Rajasthan, Madhubani painting from Bihar and handlooms products from Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.

This apart, terracotta products, tribal jewellery, dhokra products, cotton handloom products, kendujhari phula badi, dry fish and spices from Odisha will also be sold at the exhibition.

Kiosks will be set up to provide information to the visitors about Biju Pucca Ghar Yojana, Odisha Livelihood Mission, MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) and rural drinking water supply scheme.

Every evening, cultural events, on the tradition of the state, will be presented by artistes and musicians for the entertainment of the visitors at the exhibition.

Delicious Odia food and sweet dishes prepared by various NGOs will be sold at 10 kiosks. Panchayati raj minister Pradeep Maharathy emphasised on the elimination of the middlemen in sale of the products made by the rural artisans.

"Such events will establish a direct link between the seller and the buyer," he said. Emphasis will be given to involve more numbers of women Self Help Groups (SHGs) to facilitate sale of products.

A business of around Rs 12 crore is expected from the exhibition this year. Last year, the exhibition had made a business of nearly Rs 9.5 crore.

Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society will organise a mini marathon and a blood donation camp on January 6.