BHUBANESWAR: The Handicrafts department is set to partner with the Odisha Bamboo Development Agency to develop seven bamboo handicrafts clusters in the State. The clusters will work to effect wide ranging value addition to bamboo craft, encourage innovation and push a shift from the conventional to modern product lines. The MoU is expected to be signed later this week, official sources said.
Traditional bamboo artisans in the State are currently involved in weaving mats or preparing baskets from bamboo which mostly caters to the rural market. Even as bamboo is grown throughout the State, its density is high in Mayurbhanj, Balasore and Bhadrak districts. Currently, bamboo crafts clusters are present in Sundargarh, Subarnapur, Nabarangpur, Khurda, Kalahandi, Deogarh, Cuttack and Bargarh.
Sources said most of the artisans have been using traditional tools for bamboo products and the process not only consumes more time but also the quality is compromised resulting in low product value. In order to provide them better opportunities, skills of traditional bamboo craftsmen in seven of the crafts clusters will be upgraded as per requirement of the contemporary markets. They would be trained to develop products like furniture, venetian blinds, toothbrush, lifestyle products, jewellery, bottles, yoga mats and charcoal, said sources in the Handicrafts department.
Their product value chain will be strengthened and they would be provided new market linkages including Utkalika. Like handloom products of the State, bamboo crafts will also be sold through e-commerce platforms. While the project will be continued for a period of three years, an amount of Rs 721.3 lakh will be spent for the purpose. The Handicrafts department will manage the project and the bamboo agency would fund it.