The Samikhsya Bureau
Bhubaneswar: After gaining national acclaim as a magnificent, traditional tie and dye variety, Odisha’s ikat is now on its march towards a ‘global brand’.
The strategies towards the global goal were discussed in a high level meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy on Monday.
Secretary Textile, Handloom & Handicraft Shubha Sharma outlined the proposals for discussion.
Taking an area wise review of the ikat designs in Odisha, the Chief Secretary directed the related departments to “transform Odisha’s best products to world-class brands through addition of high design, affluent colour, towering quality and supreme prominence”.
“The benefit of such interventions should go the weavers and artisans”, he stressed.
He asked the department to scale up international visibility through organization of expo at various prominent places and star hotels.
Tripathy further emphasized on mobilizing private sector investment in development of the handloom sector.
The Chief Secretary directed the department to develop Balijury Haat of Bargarh district as the largest open ground cloth market in Asia with modern amenities and all types of market linkages.
Emphasizing on attracting young talents to the sector, he directed to start internship and scholarship programmes in the fields of innovative design, motif making, banding, mixing and yarn making.
The review revealed that Pasapali, Sonepuri, Bomkai and Kotpad designs of Odisha are at the top in demand. These sarees have greater potential of being developed as world class designs, it was felt.
The four varieties would be in focus during the first phase of the initiative, the meeting resolved.
The volume of Odisha’s handloom market has seen a sharp rise with an annual turnover of about Rs.700-crore.
The meeting was attended by several senior officials of the three departments.
