Utkalika marks 68 years of promoting Odisha’s handicraft heritage

Bhubaneswar: Odisha State Cooperative Handicrafts Corporation Ltd. (Utkalika) on Tuesday celebrated its 68th Foundation Day at its headquarters in Bhubaneswar, highlighting its contribution towards preserving the state’s rich handicraft and handloom traditions while supporting artisan livelihoods.

Addressing the programme, Odisha Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts Minister Pradip Bal Samanta described Odisha’s handicrafts and handlooms as the “bright signatures” of the state’s artistic excellence. He said Utkalika has played a crucial role in safeguarding traditional art forms and creating employment opportunities for thousands of artisans across Odisha.

The Minister also launched Utkalika’s new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system and an official booklet during the event. According to officials, the ERP platform is aimed at improving transparency, streamlining workflow management and enhancing digital service delivery across the organisation.

“Strengthening handicrafts and handlooms will further improve income generation in rural communities,” the Minister said while stressing the need for continued promotion of Odisha’s traditional crafts.

Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts Department, Guha Poonam Tapas Kumar, said Utkalika has earned the trust of people over its 68-year journey and continues to expand its market reach. She informed that the corporation recorded a business turnover of ₹51.53 crore during the 2025–26 financial year and has set a target of ₹75 crore for 2026–27.

To achieve the target, the corporation plans to open new marketing centres, strengthen online sales channels and introduce innovative product designs, she added.

During the celebration, Utkalika honoured its best-performing branches for exceeding business targets in the previous financial year. Kendujhar branch secured the first prize, followed by Kalabhoomi branch and Puri branch.

An exhibition showcasing handicraft products developed under the National Handicrafts Development Programme and newly designed products created through various design initiatives was also organised as part of the event.

Established in 1959, Utkalika currently has 116 primary handicraft cooperative societies as members and operates through 18 branches, including six outside Odisha, promoting the state’s traditional handicrafts across the country.