Sisir Saras 2015 kicked off with Much Fanfare
The Sisir Saras 2015, an exhibition of colourful rural products, kicked off in Bhubaneswar on 3rd January 2015 with around 600 participants from 25 States and Union Territories having displayed their products in about 275 kiosks. The exhibition organised by ORMAS in association with the Odisha Livelihoods Mission and the State Panchayati Raj Department will continue till January 14, 2015.
The Sisir Saras 2015 exhibition was inaugurated by Chief Minister Naveen Pattnaik in the presence of Dr. Arun Kumar Sahoo, Minister of State (Independent Charge) Panchayati Raj & Law, Odisha, Ashok Ch. Panda, Minister of state (Independent Charge) Tourism & Culture, Odisha, Dr. Prasanna Kumar Patasani, Member of Parliament, Bijay Ku. Mohanty, MLA, Bhubaneswar Central (Madhaya), Priyadarshi Mishra, MLA, Bhubaneswar North (Uttar), D K Singh, (IAS), Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Panchayati Raj Department and Chairman, ORMAS, N V S Rajput (IAS), Chief CEO, Odisha Livelihood Mission cum Additional Secretary, Panchayati Raj Department, and Ananta Narayana Jena, Mayor, BMC, Bhubaneswar.
CM Naveen Pattnaik in his speech, emphasized on elimination of the middlemen in sale of the products made by the rural artisans. Such events would establish a direct meet between the seller and the buyer, he said. The Chief Minister also urged upon the administration and concerned agencies to involve more numbers of SHGs (Self Help Groups) in such exhibitions to facilitate sale of their products.
The Sisir Saras 2015 fair aims at alleviating poverty and encourage new technologies and business models among the state’s rural producers. “The main objective of the fair is to provide a platform to the rural producers and farmers to sale and display of their products”, said Dr. Arun Kumar Sahoo.
Besides sale and purchase of various merchandises, the Sisir Saras 2015 fair also organises a host of cultural shows, including dances like Odissi, Gotipua, Manipuri, tribal and folk dance and Sambalpuri etc. The attractions for Sisir Saras this year are Paper Mache products from Puducherry, Wrought Iron from UP, Tussar of Chhattisgarh, Cane & Bamboo works of Assam & Tripura, Woolen products of Manipur, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and J&K, Jute products of West Bengal, Silk from Varanasi, Chanderi Silk of MP, Dry Flower from Manipur & Arunachal Pradesh, Home Decorative items and Shawls from Gujarat, Leather shoes from Punjab and Rajasthan, Meenakari from Rajasthan, Madhubani Painting from Bihar, Handlooms from Andhra Pradesh and Kerala. Terracotta, Tribal Jewelry, Dhokra Casting, Cotton Handloom Products, Kendujhari Phula Badi, Dry Fish and Spices/NTFP from Odisha.