LUCKNOW: The rural development department and Mati Kala Board of khadi and gramodyog department have joined hands to provide free electric potter wheels to 25 self-help groups (SHGs) for manufacture of 2.5 diyas to be lit in Ayodhya during Deepotsav.
Sources in rural development department said, the provision was made under state rural livelihood mission that envisages employment opportunities to SHGs, many of which have women members.
The state government plans to set a record by lighting 5.51 lakh lamps in Ayodhya, a year after Supreme Court mandated construction of Ram Temple at Ramjanmabhoomi. The move comes even as chief minister Yogi Adityanath plans to supervise Deepotsav to be organised between November 11 and 13. The department would procure remaining diyas from other potters in the state.
“The department conducted a training programme for members of SHGs, besides providing them with electric potter wheels. The lamps and idols are proposed to be made of cow dung, which would be cheap,” mission director, SRLM, Sujit Kumar told TOI.
Sources said, at least 2 lakh diyas have already been produced by six SHGs in Masauda block of Ayodhya. Of these, ‘Shakti’ SHG alone has manufactured 1lakh diyas. Enthused by the SHG’s performance, the district administration has decided to provide electric potter wheel to more than two dozen Ayodhya-based SHGs.
The department has also ordered manufacture of wick (‘baati’) which would be used in lighting diyas at the famous Ram Ki Paidi. This comes days after the state government roped in 170 SHGs from over 30 districts for manufacture of puja and festive material for Navaratri and Diwali. The SHGs have been engaged in manufacture of lamps, candles, jhalars (decorative lights) and Laxmi-Ganesh idols.