Bhubaneswar, February 7: The 24th National Level Handloom Expo kicked off here at the IDCO Exhibition Ground in Unit-III. The expo will continue till February 22. This year, Boyanika, expects a business of at least Rs 10 crore for the rural artisans from the fair.
Being organised by the Odisha State Handloom Weavers’ Cooperative Society Ltd. (Boyanika), the apex marketing society for handwovens in the State, the expo aims to provide enhanced marketing support to weavers from Odisha and various other states by offering a common platform for display and sale of their handloom products.
Leading State-level organisations – Boyanika, Utkalika, Sambalpuri Bastralaya & Resham Odisha along with 50 Primary Weavers’ Cooperative Societies (PWCS) from Odisha and TATA Antaran, Gopalpur are participating in the expo.
In addition, 20 participants from outside the State are taking part in the event. A total of 80 stalls have been constructed. Weavers from Uttar Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Karnataka, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Delhi, Bihar, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Gujarat will participate.
All stalls have been allotted free of cost to the participants. The major attraction of the Expo is its theme pavilion which has been constructed on the theme of Dhauli-The Peace Pagoda designed by Weavers Service Centre, Bhubaneswar.
The Expo will remain open daily from 11 AM to 9.30 PM. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore and purchase a wide range of handwoven products representing diverse weaving traditions from across the country. The expected business turnover during the Expo is approximately Rs 10 crore.
Handlooms, Textiles & Handicrafts Minister Pradeep Bal Samanta inaugurated the expo in the presence of department Secretary Guha Poonam Tapas Kumar, Boyanika President Prakash Chandra Meher and Managing Director Dr. Nivedita Prusty, and other senior officers of the Department.
