Cluster development programme for Shital Paati weavers

 

COOCH BEHAR, Nov. 28: The much awaited Small Industries' Cluster Development Programme (SICDP) for Shital Paati weavers in Cooch Behar district is going to take a shape very soon. The Centre and state governments are to borne the financial responsibility jointly for the programme. The objective of the programme is to ensure increase of earnings of Shital Paati artisans within three years. Cultivation of Paati plants, quality of produces, enhancing of marketing potential, diversification of the trade and problems of this particular trade – all are included in the SICDP plan to deal with.

 

Under the plan a cluster co-ordinating committee will be entrusted to identify the beneficiaries. This committee will also decide the way of action for developing the SICDP plan for the Paati artisans. The District Industries Centre (DIC) is to co-ordinate with the beneficiaries or act to facilitate the programme as a liaison official only, said the DIC manager (credit) Mr Sanjib Sen. There is also a plan under consideration to engage non-government organisations with the programme, Mr Sen added.

 

It may be mentioned here that the Paati artisans of Cooch Behar district have to face a lot of constraints to market their product - Sital Paati. District Industries Centre (DIC) had declared launching of Rs one-crore Cluster Development Programme for the benefit of the poor Paati artisans. During study it was revealed that Paati needs new designs and attractive finishing to catch the market.

 

DIC sources said the SICDP under process might help about four thousand families of paati artisans in terms of marketing and designing and also to rescue them from the clutches of the brokers and middlemen. Sital Paati may do a brisk business in local and foreign markets if designing of the product can be improved. A few months ago state cottage and small-scale industries minister had also declared launching of cluster development plans for the poor Paati artisans of Cooch Behar.

 

Cultivation of Paati plants and weaving of Shital Paati is a renowned cottage industry of Cooch Behar district. More or less twelve thousand people are associated with this industry. Villages like Ghughumari, Dhaluabari, Gangaler Kuthi, Hawagari, Pushnadanga, Gheghirghat, Panigram Baishguri, Pestarjhar and Nishiganj are famous for manufacturing of Paati. In 1990, Ms Tagar Rani Dey of Ghughumari won National award for her well-weaved beautiful Paati.

 

There are a number of varieties of Paati. Among these the Shital Paati is the famous and popular variety. The price range of Shital Pati spreads from Rs 50 to Rs 1500 or more according to its quality and craftsmanship.

 

Though Shital Paati is well known in India and abroad it is still to earn commercial success. Lack of proper marketing infrastructure makes the situation worse. The artisans are too suffering from different problems. The condition of those artisans is worse who has no farmland to cultivate the Paati plants. The wage of poor artisans should be increased to save this traditional craft. Lack of adequate advertisement and poor marketing policy followed so far dragged this special type of mat backward. Once the SICDP plan implemented the situation would turn better, DIC sources hoped. []

 

PHOTO : Artisans busy in making Shital Paati.