Kotpad:Jan, 06: Keeping in mind the demand for sarees, the central and state governments have laid the foundation stone for the construction of a Handloom Building, bringing good news especially to the weavers at the start of the New Year. Today, the foundation stone for the Handloom Building in Kotpad was laid by Kotpad MLA Rupu Bhatra.
Among the esteemed guests present were: Kotpad N.A.C. Chairman M. Shankar Rao, Member of Parliament Rameshwar Jena, Tahsildar Tyunkal Sethi, Additional Tahsildar Parshuram Bhatra, and Padma Shri awardee Gabradhan Panika, who attended as honored guests.
It was announced that the central and state governments will provide a grant of ₹7 crore for this purpose. On the instructions of Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, steps are being taken to encourage the weavers of the Kotpad region, MLA Rupu Bhatra informed.
This initiative is expected to help Kotpad’s traditional Mirgan sarees gain recognition in the international market for their natural dyes. At the same time, it will provide self-employment opportunities for local weavers, enabling them to sell all kinds of handwoven products to customers directly from an independent building. Measures are being taken to ensure large-scale production and affordable distribution.
The program was attended by BJP workers, weaver friends, and members of the Indian Media Association, including President Ajay Kumar Mishra and Editor Dak B.K. Kishore Sharma, along with several journalists. Various intellectuals and members of the general public have highly appreciated MLA Rupu Bhatra for this government initiative.