Bhubaneswar, July 9 (KNN) The Odhisha Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts department has decided to set up four common facilitation centres (CFCs) to promote bamboo craft and boost the skills of traditional artisans of the state.

The centres will come up at bamboo clusters in Deogarh (Bamparada), Sambalpur (Sambalpur town), Boudh (Sindurapur in Kantamal block) and Koraput (Boipariguda block). 

These facilities are being set up with the support of the Odisha Bamboo Development Mission (OBDM) under the Forest department.

The state handloom department through these centres aims to provide all bamboo-related services under one roof to make it easy for the artisans. The facilitation centres will have the necessary equipment for processing raw bamboo, technical know-how and training, raw material and market links to sell their processed products.

Bamboo production in the state is mainly classified into two categories - industrial bamboo used for industrial purposes or the paper mill, and commercial bamboo used mainly for household and other works as well as by rural artisans. 

The yearly production potential of bamboo in the State is calculated to be around 4,00,000 MT. 

Although bamboo craft is practised in all districts, the area with the most artisan is Bargarh, Sonepur, Sundargarh, Rayagada, Mayurbhanj and Jajpur.  (KNN Bureau)