KENDRAPARA: Efforts to develop and promote handloom weavers villages in Kendrapara district is moving at a snail’s pace.
There are 1,249 weaver families across Garadapur, Marsaghai and Derabishi blocks in the district, according to the 4th National Handlooms census conducted four years ago. The Textiles department is supposed to provide Rs 1.40 lakh to each weaver family for constructing work-sheds in their houses.
Till date only 30 families from Korua, Kalaboda, and Haripur villages have received this assistance, alleged Srikant Nayak, president of Mangala Weavers’ Cooperative Society at Korua. Although the government sanctioned Rs 98 lakh last year to build a block-level weavers’ cluster at Korua village in Garadapur block, the construction work is yet to start, he added.
On Tuesday, a team-led by joint secretary of Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts department Kalyani Patnaik along with deputy director of Textiles Ashutosh Mohanty visited several weavers’ villages in the district to make plan for the development of weavers.
An official from the Handlooms department said, erratic power supply, especially during summer, adds to the weavers’ difficulties. Many weavers face twin trouble of no electricity and non-functioning looms. “We have decided to provide Rs 17,500 each to many weavers for purchasing inverters to generate sustained employment opportunities for them to weave handloom sarees, towels, handkerchiefs, and scarves,” he added.
The state government will facilitate cluster-based development to make weavers more productive, profitable and capable of generating sustained employment opportunities and to join the economic value chain under this scheme.
A common facility centre and training centres will be constructed to promote handloom items across all three blocks of the district. The state government is determined to revive the handloom sector and improve the financial condition of skilled weavers, added the officer.
Considered among the oldest professions, the handloom weaving trade has declined by almost 70 per cent within three decades in coastal Kendrapara and surrounding areas.
“The advent of machinery like power looms and other modern textile machines, coupled with the authorities’ slipshod attitude has reduced the importance of this age-old weaving craft,” said Ramesh Das, a weaver from Haripur village. Another weaver from Kuseapala village, Nanda Behera said that two decades back, around 4,000 weaver families in the district used to produce dhotis, lungis, saris, and gamuchas. Today, only 1,200 families earn their livelihood through weaving.
“Large numbers of youths from the weaver community have abandoned the profession as it demands hard labour with little income. Only the community elders are keeping this tradition alive. They believe that no one from their community will continue this trade. Only the most needy will adopt the profession, and that too temporarily,” said a 65-year-old Sarat Das from Kuseapala village.