Tantuja stores to be set up in tribal districts

Kolkata: The Mamata Banerjee government will set up Tantuja stores in the tribal districts in the state and offer a subsidy of Rs 99 to help the adivasi women purchase Tantuja sarees. The setting up such outlets will commence from the tribal areas of East Burdwan district and will gradually be extended to the tribal belts in Bankura, West Midnapore, Purulia and Jhargram.

"The tribal women will be able to purchase Tantuja sarees in close proximity to their respective homes without travelling long distances for such saree. The price of each saree will be a little more than Rs 106 (excluding GST) with our government providing a subsidy of Rs 99 for each saree. The move is to pay homage to the tribals' contribution in the state's freedom struggle," said Swapan Debnath, Minister of State for MSME and Textiles.

Stores will be set up in Ausgram, Memari, Dakshin Damodar and Purbasthali in East Burdwan. Construction of such a store has begun in Damodarpara in Purbasthali while the local administration is identifying land at the other places in the districts for setting up Tantuja store.

Women from the economically weaker section in the state can also avail facilities of the subsidy in buying a Tantuja saree. "The subsidy will be applicable twice in a year for a woman on production of ration card," added Debnath.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's emphasis on the revival of handloom sector in Bengal has brought a major turnaround for Tantuja which was struggling for existence during the Left Front government rule in the state.

Diversification in products, design to keep in pace with the recent fashion trend has ensured profit for

Tantuja .

The products are now purchased directly from the Self-Help Groups and the weavers through camps in various parts of the state and payments are made directly to their bank accounts. " This has eliminated the role of middlemen and the designers are getting their due for their hard toil," a senior official of Tantuja said.