Odisha: Incubation and Design Centre at Maniabandha to create 50 entrepreneurs

BHUBANESWAR: Incubation and Design Centre (IDC) will come up at Maniabandha village in Cuttack district to help rejuvenate handloom clusters by providing a comprehensive training to weavers to set up their enterprise.

The centre set up by Tata Trusts will be inaugurated on March 18. The centre will create 50 entrepreneurs within five years. This will work as a business development centre to train weavers to add value in their conventional knowledge and help them in marketing their products.

Maniabandha saree is famous for its intricate tie-dye sarees and khanduapata. Weavers of the village are associated with Jagannath cult.

This centre will be equipped with a computer lab, video-call enabled classroom, study looms, buyer interaction zone and looms for sampling. A full-time six member team comprising of business management professionals, textile design professionals and weaving trainers will mentor the participants, said Sharda Gautam, head (crafts), Tata Trusts.

He said the weavers will undertake co-design assignments with designers within country and abroad through video-calling facility. “We will facilitate development of weaver-entrepreneurs and weaver-designers to build a community of micro-entrepreneurs. The weavers can experiment with new fibers and designs and communicate with industry through multiple channels of instant messaging and social media,” he added.
He said the IDC will serve as the one-stop shop destination in these handloom clusters for textile enthusiasts, craft-lovers and buyers who may visit and interact with the weavers to know more about the handloom industry. “We will also set up two clusters like Maniabandha in the state to create more entrepreneurs,” he added.