BHUBANESWAR: Practitioners of Pala, one of the ancient folk art forms of Odisha, have sought the help of the State government to survive the pandemic and keep the tradition alive.
As per records, there are 90,000 registered Pala artisans across the State. Only a few of them get artistes' pension of around Rs 1,200 from the government.
Hit by both the first and second waves of the Covid-19 pandemic, the artisans have not earned a penny for the last 18 months with all cultural events coming to a halt. “A majority of the artisans have dedicated their lives to Pala and have no alternative source of income.
The little money that they had saved before the Covid-19 outbreak has all been exhausted in these last 18 months”, said Madanmohan Jena, secretary of Sri Nilachala Nikhila Utkal Association of Pala Artistes.
They have now written to the Chief Minister seeking aid of Rs 20,000 for each of the registered artists.