2-day craft bazaar begins at NIFT Shillong

Staff Reporter

Shillong, March 16: A two-day Craft Bazaar 2023 organised by the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) Shillong was inaugurated by the Director of Textiles & Handicrafts, Government of Arunachal Pradesh, Haj Dodung today at Umsawli.

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Dodung said that NIFT, Shillong has done commendable work by organising such a programme and creating a platform for artisans to showcase their work and sell their products.

He emphasized the importance of supporting artisans, who are the backbone of the economy, to preserve the tradition of arts and crafts, even in the fast-paced digital world.

The Commissioner and Secretary, Election Department & Chief Electoral Officer of Meghalaya, Frederick Roy Kharkongor, IAS spoke about the importance of contemporizing ethnicity and folk stories in handloom and handicraft of the region.

While speaking at the launch of the event, the Campus Director Shri Shankar Kumar Jha expressed his appreciation for the artisans’ work and emphasized the critical role that institutions such as NIFT play in promoting and showcasing the unique and creative crafts of India globally in collaboration with artisan community.

The Craft Bazaar is a unique initiative of the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, designed to provide a platform for artisans of Handicrafts and Handlooms to showcase their work and sell their products.

Artisans from 23 clusters of North East India were invited to participate in the Craft Bazaar 2023, where they displayed their unique and creative crafts. The display left the attendees impressed and fascinated, some of the crafts on display included native beads and Viko from Nagaland, handlooms from Aizawl and Guwahati and weaving of Meghalaya.

The two-day Craft Bazaar will conclude on March 17, 2023, and is open to the general public, who can visit the NIFT campus and buy handicrafts and handlooms directly from the artisans.

NIFT-Shillong to host 2-day Craft bazaar

Staff Reporter

Shillong, March 15: The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Shillong will be hosting a two-day Craft Bazaar on March 16-17 at the NIFT campus in Umsawli Mawpat.

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The event is inspired by Father of the Nation-Mahatma Gandhi’s “Swadeshi Movement” and will be showcasing a diverse range of handloom and handicrafts from North East India.

Craft Bazaar 2023 is intended to promote and empower artisans, weavers and entrepreneurs of the North Eastern Region. The Chief Guest for the occassion will be Haj Dodung, Director of Textiles & Handicrafts, Government of Arunachal Pradesh. The Inaugural function is scheduled to start at 10 A.M.

About 14 stalls will be exhibiting and selling exquisite works of 22 artisans and weavers from the NE region including Assam, Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Meghalaya.

The stalls will be showcasing products like Cane-Bamboo, Jewelry, Handloom, Weaving, Embroidery, Dry Flowers, Black Pottery, Textiles, and many more.

Sniawbhalang Dhar dismisses demand for Khasi-Jaintia CM for Meghalaya

Staff Reporter

Shillong, March 14: Deputy Chief Minister, Sniawbhalang Dhar has opined that it is totally wrong to demand that the Chief Minister of Meghalaya should be from the Khasi-Jaintia region only.

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Reacting to a question regarding this demand, Dhar said, “Demanding for a Khasi chief minister I think is totally wrong as we have to respect the mandate of the people. It is as simple as that.”

He said if the people want the Chief Minister to be from the Khasi-Jaintia region, let them vote for one party from the region.

“Let them vote for one party from the Khasi side, simple as that. They can vote for UDP, or NPP if they want but they vote differently. What can we say,” he said.

On the other hand, Dhar admitted that the party’s prospects in a few constituencies like Nongkrem and Mawlai were affected by the coming of the newly floated Voice of the People Party (VPP).

With regards to the performance of the All India Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party, the NPP leader said that both parties are yet to be accepted in Meghalaya.

“If the party can obtain 2-3 seats it means that they are not accepted by the people of the state,” he added.

Meghalaya Deputy CM Sniawbhalang Dhar to review all projects under Urban Affairs Dept

Staff Reporter

Shillong, March 14:  Deputy Chief Minister in charge of Urban Affairs Sniawbhalang Dhar will review all ongoing projects implemented by the department besides a discussion on the relocation of the 342 families of Sweepers’ Colony from Them Iew Mawlong during a meeting to be held tomorrow.

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“I will review all the ongoing projects including the smart city projects tomorrow,” Dhar told reporters.

He said some of the projects include the Laitumkhrah market, Polo market, smart roads and others. “I will only know the physical and financial progress of these projects once I held the review meeting,” Dhar added.

Stating that different projects have different timelines for completion, the deputy chief minister said, “I will try to do my best in the days to come to complete these projects on time.”

He further added that the state does not have any issue in terms of the funding pattern and that the fund flow is very smooth from the Government of India and the state government.

Dhar also informed that he would also call a meeting at his level to discuss the relocation of the Sweepers’ Colony from Them Iew Mawlong.

“I will call this meeting at my level as urban minister. After that, the chairman of the high-level committee will hold a meeting and we will take a call (in this regard),” he said adding “Tomorrow, the meeting will be held at my level and after that we will sit as a state. We have to call them (Harijan Panchayat Committee) obviously. The Court has given some time we have to see but we want to solve it at the earliest possible.”

Further, Dhar informed that the Jowai beautification project is still in progress and that 90 per cent of the road project in the town is completed. As per the report, the road will be completed in the next 10 days.

As far as the Home (Jail) department is concerned, Dhar said he is yet to meet with the officials of the department. He said earlier, the government had planned to come up with a central jail but the status of the proposal will be known after a review meeting which will be held the day after tomorrow.

MTC project construction worth Rs 216 crore to be completed within 3 years- Meghalaya Deputy CM

Staff Reporter

Shillong, March 14: Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar has said that work for construction of the MTC project at Rs 216 crore is under progress.

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“There is no issue as everything is as per detailed project report (DPR),” Dhar told reporters.

He informed that the government is planning to have a hotel and others in the multipurpose building, which will be completed within two and a half years. The project is being constructed at the Meghalaya Transport Corporation land in the Khyndailad area.

He however said there is some problem with the tenants. “I will have a review meeting on this tomorrow. They (tenants) did not say they are not agreeing to move but they put some conditions and we will discuss that tomorrow. The condition is a good one and we already agree that when the building is completed we will accommodate them,” Dhar added.

The office of the MTC has been shifted to Mawiong.

Earlier prior to the elections, BJP leader and cabinet minister Alexander Laloo Hek said he can build a “Taj Mahal” with Rs 240 crore, the amount which the MDA government had proposed to spend on construction at a 50,000 sq ft land at Khyndailad (Police Bazar).

On this, Dhar said that the project cost is Rs 216 crore, not Rs 240 crore as alleged. “Moreover, the project is in progress. How can he say it is right or wrong,” he said.

He said that the decision was taken by the cabinet. “We will see after completion. You will see the whole police bazaar area will change into a modern world,” he said.