Bhubaneswar: Odisha Government is moving forward with an ambitious plan to establish handloom hubs and specialized apparel parks across Cuttack, Bargarh, and Jajpur districts. This initiative, designed to blend modern technology with state-of-the-art infrastructure, was detailed during a high-level review meeting.
The infrastructure push is being closely guided by Shri Sanjay Kumar Singh, the Principal Secretary, Department of Works, who is driving an expansive infrastructure development agenda across the state to boost rural livelihoods and industrial growth.
Under this infrastructure blueprint, Principal Secretary Shri Singh is prioritizing the timely execution of specialized spaces that support artisans. In Cuttack district, an artificial intelligence and blockchain-supported handloom hub will be established at Abhimanpur over an area of 2.77 acres, requiring an investment of 13.51 crore rupees. This hub will integrate traditional handlooms, handicrafts, and terracotta work, offering administrative blocks, guest houses, display shops, fabric weaving centers, exhibition zones, sales stalls, and storage facilities.
Bargarh district, a vital textile belt, is slated to receive a handloom and apparel park at Gobindpur Mauza with an allocation of 20 crore rupees. Spanning 9.35 acres, this facility will provide crucial services like long warping, winding, and weaving, while deploying high-quality stitching machines to allow over 300 artisans to manufacture diverse garments. The park is positioned to serve the broader western Odisha region, including Sambalpur, Sonepur, and Balangir. Additionally, a massive weavers market, or Bunkar Haat, will be developed at Behera Balijuri in Bargarh over 29.12 acres with an outlay of 27.57 crore rupees. This market will feature 2,000 platforms for displaying and selling handloom goods, supported by dedicated transport access roads, parking zones, and food courts.
Further expanding the technological footprint, another artificial intelligence and blockchain-enabled handloom hub is planned for Gopalpur in the Jajpur district. Spread across approximately 2 acres with an estimated budget of 15 crore rupees, this center will focus on the production of silk sarees, garments, and home furnishings while boosting local tourism. The setup includes dedicated production infrastructure, supply chain management systems, training centers, marketing facilities, specialized stalls, an administrative office, and a dedicated Resham Odisha outlet.
The collaborative meeting saw active participation from senior officials across multiple departments, ensuring that the infrastructure designs align with operational needs. Attendees included Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts Secretary Shrimati Guha Poonam Tapas Kumar, Tourism Secretary Shri Balwant Singh, Works Department Special Secretary Shri L.K. Padhi, Additional Secretary Shri Bikramaditya Barik, Additional Director of Sericulture Shri Surya Narayan Patnaik, and Deputy Director of Textiles Shri Ashutosh Mohanty. The project underscores the government’s current momentum in creating long-term, technology-driven assets for traditional weaver communities.