In a first, handicraft hub set up in Malda

malda: The first ever handicraft hub in North Bengal has been set up at Majlishbag area, in Adina Gram Panchayat under Gazole police station. A sum of Rs 2.5 crore has been allocated for the hub with modern machinery to produce handicrafts. 400 women, under the Utkarsha Bangla scheme of the state government, have been trained to make various artifacts of domestic use from bamboo and jute. The products are to be sent in different places of the state as well as various other states. A website for selling the products online in other countries will also be made shortly.

Table lamps, jewellery boxes, different types of mats, caps, trays, baskets and other articles for domestic beautification using bamboo and jute will be produced in this hub. Earlier, the process was time consuming as everything was crafted manually.

“Now, with these modern machineries, we can produce them quickly and the production rate will also increase. There is great demand for such artifacts in various fairs often organised at different places. The state government has made a cluster which can also open the doors of export to other countries,” said an official, engaged in the training programme of the women.

Manabendra Mandal, general manager of District Industrial Center (DIC), said; “This is basically a bamboo hub with facilities of modern machines already installed. The products are to be sent to Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha. We need more quality products to get these exported for which more skill enhancing training programmes will be done. Then, through a dedicated website, we can present these articles for sale in the international market.”