Balangir Lok Mahotsav: Rural products a hit

Following is a report from expressbuzz.com:

In an age where people prefer shopping malls to the crowded markets, the Palli Shree Mela has at the Lok Utsav has been attracting a huge number of visitors.

The products are being sold in stalls put up by different self help groups (SHG) funded by different government agencies. District Supply and Marketing Society (DSMS), which is a part of Orissa Rural Marketing Society (ORMAS), is monitoring the sales and helping SHGs sell their products from the stalls.

Attractive motifs, handicraft, paddy-craft, hand loom, earthen designs and food items have been a major draw among customers.Craftsmen from 29 districts are participating in the mela where stalls have been allotted to 104 groups.

Chief Executive Officer of DSMS Kamalendu Paul said this year the sale proceeds have exceeded last year’s. In 2008 while the sale proceeds in two days were recorded at nine lakhs, this year it has nearly doubled. “We have only facilitated the SHGs to sell their products in the mela”, said Paul.

Different agencies such as DSMS, Mission Shakti, Municipality, DIC, Nabard and Watershed funded the SHGs group to make the products.

With the mela recorded a sales of Rs 17 lakh in just two days, DSMS is hopeful of touching a crore mark this year by the end of the Lok Utsav.