Lucknow, Oct 10 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Minister Rakesh Sachan on Friday inaugurated a 10-day festival at the Khadi Bhawan here aimed at promoting traditional and contemporary clay crafts.
The ‘Mati Kala Mahotsav, 2025’ features 50 free stalls for artisans from various districts. It will conclude on October 19. Sachan, the Minister for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises, Khadi, Handloom, and Textiles, also launched the Mati Kala Portal and an e-verification mobile app, developed by the Mati Kala Board.
Sachan highlighted that the art of crafting household and decorative clay objects, such as statues, toys, utensils, and other items, has been an integral part of the state’s cultural and artistic heritage for centuries.
The minister informed that under the Mukhyamantri Mati Kala Rojgar Yojana, loans have been sanctioned to 1,114 beneficiaries over the last six years for setting up industrial units. This year, the goal is to establish 300 new units.
At the inauguration ceremony, free electric potter’s wheels were distributed to 10 artisans, pugmills to two artisans, and loan cheques to two beneficiaries.
According to officials, the Board has distributed 15,932 electric potter’s wheels and 375 pugmills to artisans so far, with a target to distribute 2,500 wheels and 300 pugmills this financial year. PTI CDN RHL
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