Odisha: Handicraft sector separated from Industrial Dept, Merged with Handlooms, Textiles & Handicrafts Dept

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Tuesday announced that with a view to giving independent focus and effort to Handicraft sector and considering the similarities between Handloom and Handicraft sector, the Handicraft sector was separated from the Industrial Department and merged with the Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts Department.

Also, the MSME sector was carved out from the Industries Department creating Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Department.

For Handicraft sector, total of 552 numbers of posts were earmarked and separated from the MSME Department. However, the officers/ staff continued to work for both Handicraft and MSME sector and they remained under the overall control of MSME department. As per the arrangement, the activities and schemes of handicraft sector were implemented under the supervision of HT & H Department although the implementing manpower was under the administrative control of MSME Department. Their transfer, posting, disciplinary power etc. remained with MSME Department. As a result, difficulties are faced in smooth implementation of handicraft schemes and programmes.

To remove these difficulties, the creation of a separate cadres for handicraft sector, namely Odisha Handicrafts Services (Method of Recruitment and Conditions of Service) Rules, 2021 and Odisha-Subordinate Handicrafts Services (Method of Recruitment and Conditions of Service) Rules, 2021 for recruitment and management of Officers of Group A and B, were under active consideration of the State Government in Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts Department.

Now, the State Government announced formulation of the new cadre Rules – “Odisha Handicrafts Services (Methods of Recruitment and Conditions of Service) Rules, 2021” for recruitment and management of Group-A and B Officers who will work under the administrative control of the HT & H Department. The cadre will consist of posts of Assistant Director, Deputy Director, Joint Director, Additional Director and Director.

This was one of the priorities of the Department under 5T that has been successfully achieved.