CUTTACK: With Diwali round the corner, the demand for terracotta diyas (earthen lights) made by members of women self-help groups (SHGs) has gone up exponentially in the city.The Odisha Rural Development & Marketing Society (ORMAS) has set up a stall on the premises of District Rural Development Agency(DRDA), Cuttack for providing a platform to rural women producers to sell their handmade eco-friendly terracotta diyas directly to consumers.
The eco-friendly lamps made by members of three producer groups from Dampada, Salepur, and Kantapada blocks are much in demand among the city’s residents. The prices of the diyas range from Rs 1.50 to Rs 250.“Women artisans have toiled hard to come up with intricate designs as per the needs of the market," said chief development officer-cum-executive officer of zilla parishad-Cuttack Subhash Chandra Ray Rout who inauguated the stall in the presence of Joint CEO, ORMAS-Cuttack, Bipin Bihari Rout and other officials.