STHAPANA Charitable Trust organized an interactive event, CHAUPAL, at their office in Purunagarh, Deogarh, Odisha, in collaboration with the DC Handicraft, Ministry of Textiles, Govt. of India. The session aimed to support and uplift handicraft artisans by fostering awareness of resources available to them. Smt. Nibedita Nayak, President of STHAPANA, underscored the need for inter-departmental convergence for artisan welfare.
The event was inaugurated by Smt. Santi Manjari Dei, Chairperson of Deogarh Municipality, and saw the participation of around 100 artisans across crafts such as embroidery, applique, art metalware (Dhokra), cane & bamboo, painting, and sculpture. Presentations were delivered by Smt. Kumari Shailja, Assistant Director (Handicrafts), and Sri Banamali Tappo, Assistant Director (Handicrafts) Deogarh, covering various state and central schemes, e-marketing, the GeM portal, and Mudra loans. Additionally, on-the-spot enrollment for Pehchan cards was provided.
The event saw active engagement and featured a crafts display by the artisans, which received much appreciation from attendees. Also present were Smt. Minakshi Mishra, President of Rumkajhuma, and Smt. Basanti Behera, Zilla Parishad member, Zone-II, Deogarh. The artisans were motivated and empowered by the insights shared, marking a successful gathering focused on enhancing the local handicraft community.