The Odisha Primary Education Programme Authority (OPEPA) has asked all District Programme Coordinators (DPCs) of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) to promote Odisha handloom fabrics, which are losing their market, among its staff.
State Project Director Krushna Gopal Mohapatra, in a letter to all DPCs, has requested the latter to ask the SSA staff to wear handloom fabrics on Fridays.
The move comes in pursuant to the direction from the School and Mass Education Department which had pledged support to all its establishments for use of handlooms and handicraft items for official purpose.
Last year itself, the Textiles and Handloom Department had issued a resolution instructing all Government establishments to use handloom and handicraft products.
The Department had proposed that products such as furnishing fabric in Tassar and Cotton, bed-sheets for all offices and house-wear be procured from Odisha State Handloom Weavers Cooperative Society, popular as Boyanika.
On occasions that warrant gifts to be given to guests and dignitaries, preference must be given to handlooms or handicraft items of qualitative and aesthetic excellence.