Panaji: More than 2,000 artisans have been trained and over 300 workshops conducted to promote traditional handicrafts in Goa during the BJP government’s tenure, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Friday.
Speaking during the inauguration of a tribal craft expo at Kala Academy in Panaji, which featured 21 artisan stalls, Sawant said the government’s focus was on promotion, marketing, sustainability and rural empowerment.
“I felt proud when the Kunbi saree was promoted at a high level in the national market, with prices crossing Rs 4,000,” he said.
The government, , Sawant said, has also installed village-level machinery to assist women producing Kunbi sarees and shawls.
The Chief Minister said he had also appealed to private industries to purchase locally made shawls for gifting purposes to strengthen support for local artisans and products.
Sawant said empowering rural entrepreneurs and women would help Goa move towards the goal of becoming a ‘Vikasit Goa’. Tribal Welfare Minister Ramesh Tawadkar said the expo, organised jointly by the Textile Department and the Tribal Research Institute, showcased traditional knowledge and craftsmanship.
“Traditional methods that were once overlooked are now being revived and promoted using modern marketing techniques to suit current markets. The government’s objective is to ensure tribal artists receive recognition and fair prices for their products,” said Tawadkar, adding that there has been improvement in the finishing and quality of products, making them more appealing to tourists and present-day markets.
He said a government team had recently visited Odisha to study how local crafts there reached national and international markets, adding that the state government is exploring ways to export traditional knowledge and make better use of available resources.
Tawadkar said the Centre has been extending support through the Tribal Research Institute and appealed to artists to raise concerns with officials so that Goan handicrafts can expand further into national markets.
