Saree worth Rs 11 lakh exported from Orissa

Bhubaneswar,July 7 (UNI) Orissa exported sarees worth around Rs 11 lakh through Boyanika, Minister for Handicrafts Golakh Bihari Nayak told the Assembly today.

Replying to a question of Mr Aswini Kumar Patra (BJP) in the House, Mr Nayak said Orissa sarees were very popular in the country and abroad.

He said sarees worth Rs 16.67 lakh were exported from the state during 2001-02 while sarees costing Rs 15.90 lakh and Rs.8.23 lakh were exported in 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 respectively.The export during 2005-2006 stood at Rs.16.57 crore.

The Minister admitted that the Orissa government failed to meet the demands of the traditional weavers engaged in weaving Sambalpuri, Maniabandhi and Berhampuri silk sarees. He, however, said some private organisations had been providing thread to the weavers.

Replying to a supplementary question,Mr Naik said the state had 1268 primary cooperative weavers societies of which only 570 were functioning.

UNI