JAGATSINGHPUR: With an aim to revive the handloom industry, Department of Textiles in collaboration with district administration decided to open handloom village tourism at Jaipur under Raghunathpur block of the district.
On Friday, Collector Yamini Sarangi laid the foundation stone for the handloom village tourism in the presence of hundreds of women weavers. It is aimed at reviving the fortunes of the 90 handloom houses in the neighbourhood and providing a platform for the weavers to sell their products.
At a time when traditional handlooms are fading into oblivion due to declining patronage and lack of marketing, the efforts of the administration to open handloom village tourism at Jaipur with the help of Sri Sri Parbati Weaver Cooperative Society has brought hopes to revive the traditional handlooms.
To attract more tourists to the village, overall infrastructure roads, walkways, toilets and parking facilities will be developed while street lights will be installed. The weavers’ looms and their surroundings will also be renovated as part of the project.
The weavers will also get an opportunity to sell their products to tourists visiting the handloom village while the tourists can get a feel of the tradition. The guesthouse would be designed in accordance with the theme to draw the attention of tourists.
As many as 442 handloom weavers of 90 households in the area are expected to benefit from the project. A woman weaver Saraswati Prusty said, “With powerloom products flooding the market, the traditional handloom sector in our district is fighting for survival. The handloom village tourism project will provide us with an opportunity to overcome the competition.
It will give us a platform for live display of weaving for the benefit of tourists visiting the village. Apart from promoting tourism, the project is also expected to lead to overall development of Jaipur village, they added.
Raghunathpur BDO Panchanana Pasyat, Textiles Inspector Niranjan Pradhan, Chapada Sarpanch Bijay Kumar Swain and Secretary of WEC Manas Prusty were present.
Revamp plan
Govt to open handloom village tourism at Jaipur under Raghunathpur block
On Friday, Collector Yamini Sarangi laid the foundation stone for the project
442 handloom weavers of 90 households in the area are expected to benefit from the project