Bhubaneswar, June 15: On its 60th foundation day, the Odisha Khadi and Village Industries Board (OK&VIB) announced that it would come up with a policy that will have guidelines on buying yarns.

The policy will also have guidelines on encouraging and assisting artistes involved in the khadi industry and providing the rural population with employment opportunities in their villages. Reviving the khadi industry is the prime motive of OK&VIB.

"The industry is stepping up steadily to provide employment to the rural artistes. There is no such policy in the state. A standardised strategy is necessary towards attaining our objectives and giving rural people employment," said Tejeswar Parida, the board president.

Process for the formulation of the policy has been initiated.

"We are discussing with researchers and experts in the khadi field to form a taskforce soon. It would work on the necessary measures to revive the industry. We would soon submit the report to the government," said Parida.

The policy would also focus on ways to impress the public on the advantages of patronising khadi products.

Plans for promotion of khadi fabrics in every part of the state through cluster development and outreach programmes are also being made. Plans are on to promote direct links between weavers and fashion designers.

"We are trying to get in touch with Odia designers like Bibhu Mohapatra and other designers from National Institute of Fashion Technology (Nift). We will connect them with the weavers, so that they lend their hands towards promoting state weavers," said Parida.

The board had sent a group of 26 students from NIFT, Bhubaneswar, on a ten-day trip to a number of crafts villages. They had conducted surveys at the clusters and developed new designs that could be suitably be incorporated in the crafts.

"The report would be utilised to get funds to develop the clusters. Depending on the report, we are hopeful of garnering funds ranging from Rs 1.5 crore to Rs 8 crore under different government schemes," Parida said.