Sambalpur to get crafts emporium

Sambalpur: To promote handicrafts, the Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society (ORMAS) has decided to convert Laxmipriya store, which is located in front of the office of the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) here, into a crafts emporium.
The Laxmipriya store was established by the DRDA in 1990 to sell items produced by self-help groups (SHGs) in the district. The store has been lying shut since last few months and its building is in a dilapidated condition.
Assistant director of ORMAS Srimanta Hota said the building will be renovated. “Around Rs 4.5 lakh will be spent on renovation of the building to convert it into a crafts emporium. The renovation work will be executed by Dhankauda block”. Currently, the building has an asbestos roof. It will be converted into a concrete roof. The plan and design for the building has already been readied.
He said many SHGs are involved in making bamboo products, terracotta and wooden handicrafts. “We will facilitate marketing of the products at the emporium,” he said. He said the government is providing SHGs financial assistance besides skill development training for promotion of handicrafts. The crafts emporium here will be the place for display and sale of beautiful products.
He said “We have also planned to set up a crafts store on the line of the crafts emporium in every block. We have already written to the government for setting up such stores in nine blocks of the district so that the handicrafts produced by SHGs can be sold at the block level too.”
Official sources said around 200 SHGs produce different types of handicrafts. They will benefit from this move.