Four-day handicrafts and weaving fair starts in Raiganj

j: The four-day ‘Hasta Shilpa, Tant Bastra O Swarojgar Mela’ organised by Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises began in Raiganj Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Pampa Paul, Sabhadhipati of North Dinajpur Zilla Parishad, inaugurated this fair. Artisans from different blocks as Raiganj, Kaliyaganj, Hemtabad, Itahar, Karandighi, Goalpokhar-I, Goalpokhar-II, Islampur and Chopra of the district participated.

The artisans, most of them women, displayed their products, including jute bags,jute mats, carpet, hand fan(pakha), sarees, soft toys, terracotta items, cane and bamboo items in the stalls. Food products, including papad, turmeric powder, jeera powder and chilly powder also found buyers. Amal Baisya, an artisan of cane and bamboo, said: “Our products have had great demand in Kolkata since the last few years. However, we face a fund crunch. Last year, the officials of District Industry Center passed our loan proposal but was rejected by the bank in absence of our security. We urge the officials of our district administration to have a talk with bank officials in this regard.” Pampa Paul said: “Owing to the initiative of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, handicraft and weaving under MSME have got a major boost in our district. The women are becoming financially independent owing to this.”