Odisha: Adivasi Mela kicks off in Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar:  Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today inaugurated the Adivasi Mela and Sanskrutika Utsav-2023 in the city here.

Jagannath Saraka, Minister, ST & SC Development, Law; Pradeep Majhi, Advisor, Special Development Council, Mayor Sulochana Das; Advisor to CM R. Balkrishnan, 5T Secretary VK Pandian, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, ST/SC Development Department Roopa Roshan Sahoo; Director, SCSTRTI and Member Secretary, ATLC Indramani Tripathy; Programme Director, OPELIP P. Arthanaree and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.

The Chief Minister also visited the Art and Craft Sector of Adivasi Mela.

The sole purpose of the Adivasi Mela is to propagate art, culture and tradition of tribal people and market authentic tribal products. The fair will continue till March 1, said an official.

As many as 121 stalls have been set up at this year’s Adivasi Mela to sell and display authentic tribal products.

Ten PVTG houses have been constructed at the fair. These houses will make the visitors aware of tribal art and culture. These houses have thatched and tile roofs while the walls has been painted with jhoti.

Various tribal and forest products are available for sale in the Adivasi Haat. Women SHG of ITDA and Micro Projects are selling their products at the fair, said the official.

As many as 62 ITDA stalls have been set up at the fair while 17 stalls of micro projects have been allotted to SHG women.

Apart from the stalls of TDCC, OFSDS, Mission Shakti, ORMAS, Millet Mission, Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts Department, the Planning and Convergence Department has opened 23 stalls at the Adivasi Mela to sell and display their products.

There will be cultural programme and tribal dance during the exhibition, said the official.

Notably, around 10 lakh people usually visit the annual Adivasi Mela. The stalls at the fair usually do business worth around Rs 5 crore, said the official

People from several districts of Odisha and outside visit the fair to buy forest products like turmeric, millet, black gram, corn, Basmati rice, honey, broom stick and palua, he added.

Also Read

Comments are closed.