Bhubaneswar: Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra on Saturday directed officials to develop the Ekamra Haat here for year-round activity.
Accompanied by Development Commissioner Pradeep Kumar Jena, Mahapatra visited the Ekamra Haat (Art and Craft Market) for reviewing the ground level progress of the renovation works there.
He reviewed the progress in construction of the stalls, food court, amphitheater, kiosks, exhibition shed, conference hall and the visitors’ amenity arrangements in the Haat.
Reviewing the progress, the Chief Secretary directed to develop the haat as a year round activity center for promotion of the handloom, textile and handicraft along with the Odissi dance, music, performing arts and the typical Odia cuisine.
Further, Mahapatra directed Secretary Handloom, Textiles and Handicraft (HT & H) Shubha Sharma to select the best artisans from different districts and allot them the stalls for a period of two months on rotational basis.
The best products of Odishan filigree, pattachitra, terracotta, brass works, bamboo works, cane works, horn works would be available here for the tourists and visitors throughout the year.
The Chief Secretary also directed to earmark the stalls for sale of handloom products like Sambalpuri, Bomket, Berhampuri, Manibandi, Bandhaetc.
There would be special stalls for typical Odishi food and cuisine.
Jena advised that the departments of Odia Language, Literature and Culture and Tourism should act together for organizing the best cultural programmes each day in the amphitheater of the haat for making the place a point of tourist attraction.
He also said to publicize daily information about the cultural programmes among the tour operators, tourists, hoteliers and people so that they could take the opportunity of witnessing the programmes.
Mahapatra directed to organise the typical Odia dance forms such as Odissi, Gotipua, Ghumura, Sambalpuri, Chhau, Chaiti, Danda Naata, Dalkhai, Ghoda Naacha along with various tribal folk forms. Odishi song along with its lyrical variants would also be performed by the reknown artists from different parts of the State.
The credible and trained women SHGs would be allotted stalls for serving the healthy Odishi food and cuisine to the visitors.
The haat would be managed by the State Institute for Development Art and Craft (SIDAC) operating under Handloom, HT & T department.
Secretary HT & H appraised, “ A total number of 60 stalls along with 33 exhibition sheds has been built in the haat. Proper care has been taken for maintaining the open space and green coverage.
She further appraised that around 14 stalls would be earmarked for handloom products, 28 would be for handicraft products and 08 stalls would be for demonstration counters.
Besides, there would be 33 exhibition sheds which would be allotted to the artisans for exhibition and sale of their products.
Director HT & H Sanatana Nayak, Special Secretary Saroj Kumar Patel, Member Secretary SIDAC Sishira Kumar Ratha along with senior officers of the concerned departments presented required data during the review.