Jhargram: Government push to promote sal leaves products

Kolkata: The Mamata Banerjee government is setting up a centre of excellence for manufacture and marketing  of diversified products with sal leaves and sabai grass at Jhargram in West Midnapore.

The West Bengal Khadi & Industries Board (WBKVIB) that comes under the aegis of MSME department has been entrusted with the responsibility to go on with the project.

WBKVIB will also come up with a museum that will showcase intricate handicrafts of the artisans in the state. The land has already been allotted for the purpose.

“Our objective is to provide training to them so that they can manufacture diversified products like wall hangings, curtain, table tops and various other articles that can deck up the rooms in a household. We will also impart lessons on marketing of the product and provide them assistance in this regard,” Mritunjay Bandyopadhyay, CEO of WBKVIB, said.

There are nearly 20,000 artisans in the state, including 8,000 self-help groups mainly hailing from the economically backward classes and tribals associated with the manufacture of products like plates and bowls with sal leaves.

The state government has already sanctioned Rs 3 crore to the Khadi Board to go ahead with the project.

“The artisans will be trained in making products like caps and bags with sabai grass. The grass is mainly used in articles in making ropes that are bio degradable and often baskets. The centre will be the first of its kind in the country,” a top official of WBKVIB said.