Bhubaneswar, 13/8:Millions of people in the state now depend on handlooms. Weavers have been presenting the great cultural traditions of Odisha through handlooms all over the world through their skills and there is also a special demand for handlooms made in Odisha.
But in the last two years, the handloom industry has been severely affected by the epidemic, and the livelihoods of thousands of our weavers have also declined.
The 15,000 loom pit that is not concrete in the package will be concreted in the next three years. Each loom pit will cost Rs 7,000 per concrete.
Of the 31,342 loom pits in the state, 15,071 have been concreted so far.
Similarly, 3,000 weaver families will be provided with House-cum-Work shed on a priority basis under the Chief Minister’s special package. To date, 11695 House-cum-Work sheds have been provided to weaver families. Family members are also involved in the production process of the textile and cottage industries. Similarly, design preparation is a complex process. So under the scheme, the weavers will be provided with electricity and electricity fans so that there is no special pressure on them and they can work for a long time.
It has also been decided to provide housing to all eligible weaver families on a priority basis.
The package focuses on how weavers can access loans.
The Chief Minister has directed the weavers to provide interest-free loans of up to Rs 50,000.
Various group infrastructures such as CFCs, warehouses and sales centers will be set up through the Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department to store the produce of the weavers.