Jamshedpur: Jharkhand State Khadi Gramodyog Board distributed implements among as many as 82 sculptors in Sijulata village of Rajnagar block on Sunday under the Shilpi Rojgar Yojana. The chief guest of the programme was the Adivasi welfare and industry minster Champai Soren.
In his address, Soren said the state government wanted to make the sculptors independent and help them by providing them tools used in making various handicrafts. Each of the set of tools given to the sculptors is worth Rs 5000. The sculptors who got the implements are presently getting training at four centres situated at Sijulata, Hensal, Konabera and Baliashahi.
A week ago, a training centre was opened in Soldih village. The minister said the farmers should not only be dependent on farming activities. Rather they should make use of their traditional skills and do something as sculptors and artisans. He said such activities should bring in good money that would help their families a great deal.
The minister said the state government was making sincere efforts to ensure that the rural people get self-employment opportunities through their skills. The farmers are being trained in various trades to make sure they are able to follow some traditional profession to earn a living when they do not get enough from farming activities.
The manager Khadi Gramodyog Board Jamshedpur Vibhuti Kumar Rai said there are a total of 10 training centres in the state, five of which are situated in Rajnagar. He said the tools were distributed among women trainees so that they may get training for the next three months. The second session of training started on 23rd February last. A total of 160 women are getting training at five training centres.