Odisha partners with Flipkart to promote handloom, handicrafts

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with e-commerce giant Flipkart to give a boost to the state's arts, craft, and handloom sectors.

This partnership between the State Institute for Development of Arts and Crafts (SIDAC) under the Flipkart Samarth programme will enable Odisha's local artisans, weavers and craftsmen to showcase their hallmark products to millions of customers across the country.

Well known brands from Odisha such as Boyanika, Utkalika and Sambalpuri Bastralaya, which work with local artisans and weavers, will set up stores on Flipkart Marketplace.

Commenting on the MoU, Kailash Chandra Sahoo, Additional Secretary to Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts Department, Odisha government said, "The partnership with Flipkart is the start of a new era in Odisha's handicrafts and handloom sectors, led by Boyanika, Utkalika and Sambalpuri Bastralaya, among others. With the help of Flipkart, handloom and handicraft artisans living in remote areas of Odisha will now be able to better market their products to consumers across India."

"This partnership will also help the artisans gain valuable knowledge about branding, digital marketing and financial management while showcasing the local heritage and hallmark products," he added.

Rajneesh Kumar, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Flipkart Group said that this MoU will bring the benefits of Flipkart Samarth to the thousands of handloom artisans, weavers and craftsmen in the state.

"We are delighted to join hands with the Odisha government to bring the state's heritage on our platform while providing the state's artisans and weavers a chance to fulfill their ambitions and expand their businesses pan-India," he said.