One Station, Countless Treasures: Maniabandha Handloom Finds a Home at Cuttack Railway Station

Cuttack: The vibrant handloom products of Maniabandha Village, located in the heart of Badamba Tehsil in Cuttack District, have found a new home at the Cuttack Railway Station. The “One Station One Product” stall at the railway station is now adorned with the exquisite creations of local weavers, providing passengers with the opportunity to explore and purchase these renowned handloom offerings without leaving the station premises.

The initiative to bring Maniabandha’s handloom products to Cuttack Railway Station took shape during a recent visit by Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Minister of Railways, to Badamba, Odisha. The minister, during his interaction with local weavers, assured them of a dedicated stall at Cuttack Station under the “One Station One Product” initiative.

The “One Station One Product” concept, introduced by the Government of India, aims to boost the livelihoods of local artisans, including potters, weavers, and handloom weavers, by turning railway stations into marketing channels for their products.

As part of this nationwide initiative, the Maniabandha Handloom Cluster Consortium in Cuttack, comprising over 5000 weavers, now has a dedicated space at Cuttack Railway Station to showcase and sell their handloom creations to passengers traveling to and from the station.

The One Station One Product stalls at railway stations serve as crucial platforms for artisans and craftspersons benefitting under the Pradhan Mantri Viswakarma Yojana. This government initiative is designed to uplift and support artisans and craftsmen belonging to the Vishwakarma community.

The Khurda Road division, where Cuttack Railway Station is located, boasts One Station One Product stalls at 12 railway stations, including Bhubaneswar, Puri, Khurda Road, Balugaon, Chatrapur, Brahmapur, Palasa, Cuttack, Jajpur Keonjhar Road, Bhadrak, Angul, and Dhenkanal.