Kotpad: Despite spending around Rs 10 lakh, the participation for the Khadi and Gramudyog Mela at Dushera ground at Kotpad in Koraput district has not been satisfactory.
The 15-day mela, jointly organised by Odisha Khadi and Village Industry Board and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Department, was inaugurated, February 1 by State Khadi Board chairman Tejeswar Parida and Koraput Special Development Council president Kamalu Jani.
Decoration of the mela ground has been in no way inferior to any state-level exhibition in Bhubaneswar. The lighting arrangement and sound system were also very good. Around 65 stalls were erected for the village craftsmen.
However, till the closing of the mela, many stalls were seen vacant. Many entrepreneurs at the district and state levels had neither been intimated nor invited for the exhibition, leading to the lack of participation, local residents alleged.
On the inaugural evening, a cultural programme was conducted to attract people to the fair ground. Local cultural troupes staged colourful performances as well. Later they were given away drums and musical instruments.
Even after two days after the inauguration, visitors have found only a few stalls opened and occupied by the handloom weavers of Mirgan Sahi of Kotpad. Thereafter, six stalls including those of roots and herbs of Khandwa in Madhya Pradesh, a wooden craft and Iron ware shop from Shirla panchayat and two chaat shops were opened, making the total number of functional stalls at 14.
When contacted, Koraput district Khadi Board Development Officer Benudhar Pradhan ascribed the reason to assistance money. “As provision for providing assistance money had not been made, this discouraged most of the artisans and entrepreneurs.”
When asked about the money spent for organising the mela, he said that it was yet to be calculated. “If roughly calculated, it could be somewhere between Rs 7,00,000 and Rs 8,00,000 lakh,” he added.
The concluding day of the exhibition ground wore a deserted look with no visitors turning up.
The few stalls opened by some SHGs from Ganjam district, selling pickles and papads kept their stalls opened till 9 pm but they too left when none turned up.
The local residents demanded an inquiry by the Collector into the spending of lakhs of government money for an exhibition.
PNN