Bhubaneswar: Modern technology will be integrated into the production of Odisha’s traditional brass bell metal and Dhokra handicrafts to enhance quality, boost productivity and improve artisans’ livelihoods, said Minister of Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts Pradeep Bal Samanta on Monday.
Inaugurating a workshop and training camp at CSIR–Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (IMMT) aimed at revitalising traditional metal crafts, the Minister said that the application of scientific and technological knowledge alongside traditional craftsmanship would help artisans produce superior-quality products at lower cost. He noted that the use of modern, eco-friendly technologies would reduce pollution, save time and lessen physical effort, thereby making production more efficient and sustainable.
Samanta expressed confidence that improved product quality and cost efficiency would significantly increase the market demand for brass bell metal and Dhokra handicrafts, leading to higher incomes and better economic conditions for artisans across the state.
Addressing the programme, Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts Department, Guha Poonam Tapas Kumar, said that blending artisans’ inherited skills with scientific inputs can result in high-quality products capable of attracting consumers in competitive markets and opening up improved business opportunities.
CSIR–IMMT Director Dr. Ramanujan Narayan said the initiative aims to take Odisha’s rich handicraft heritage to the global stage with technological support. Handicrafts Director Dr. Nivedita Pusti expressed hope that the training programme would help restore the lost glory of traditional metal crafts, create new employment avenues and strengthen the rural economy.
The workshop and training camp were jointly organised by the Directorate of Handicrafts and CSIR–IMMT. More than 250 brass bell metal and Dhokra artisans from 13 districts of Odisha participated in the programme. The initiative is expected to enhance artisans’ skills while contributing to their long-term economic growth.
The event was attended by scientists from CSIR–IMMT, including Dr. A.K. Chaubey and Dr. Y.S. Choudhury, Deputy Director of Handicrafts Mangobinda Jena, and other Deputy Directors, Assistant Directors and Handicrafts Development Officers from various districts.
