BHUBANESWAR: Weavers and handicraft artisans of the state have threatened of statewide agitations in protest against the Odisha government’s negligent attitude towards their welfare.
They alleged that the Mukhyamantri Baristha Bunakar O Karigara Sahayata Yojana (MBBKSY), which was launched by the previous BJD government last year for the welfare of elderly weavers and handicraft artisans of the state, has been of little help for the beneficiaries.
Under the aegis of Odisha Shilpi Mahasangha, they submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Monday citing the ineffectiveness of the scheme. They further alleged that only about 1,500 senior weavers in the state are currently receiving a monthly allowance of Rs 2,000.
Under the scheme, women artisans above 40 years of age and male artisans above 50 years of age are eligible to get Rs 2,000 monthly assistance. Although the scheme is also meant for handicraft artisans, not a single artisan has yet benefitted from it, they claimed, further demanding that the MBBKSY assistance be increased from Rs 2,000 to Rs 5,000.
The Mahasangha members also pointed out that the state government was yet to constitute the governing body of the Odisha Handloom and Handicraft Development & Promotion Council, which was formed by it following demands by the Mahasangha.
“The council was acting like a bridge between weavers and handicraft artisans at the grassroots and the state government when it came to framing policies on the sector or meeting the former’s various demands. However, today it is non-functional in the absence of a governing body,” they rued.
Members of the Mahasangha further added that though several important decisions were taken in the past for welfare of weavers and artisans including increasing wages and supply of stone for sculptures through Utkalika, none have been implemented so far.
They threatened to launch statewide agitations if the MBBKSY assistance was not hiked and immediate measures not taken by the state government to constitute the governing body for the council.