In this Issue... Editorial Launching Cum Awareness

Ceremony of HandloomCluster Development

Other news of BISWA

ADVISORSPitabasa Sethi

Ajoy Ku. ShroffPramod K Patnaik

Bibhu Prasad MohantyPrasant Kumar SahuDr. Jharana Mishra

Ninu Nair

Central Office“BISWA”

At- Danipali, PO- BudharajaDist. Sambalpur, PIN-768004

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Shadol, Madhya Pradesh-484001

The LinkChief Editor

Debabrata MalickEditor

Pramod K PatnaikDTP

Govinda Ch. Tripathy

Our Source of InspirationSri K. C. Malick

Chairman, BISWA

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FORTNIGHTLYVolume-133 1st September 2010

Published by Debabrata Malick,Chief Editor. T he L i nk , at BISWA,Danipali, Budharaja, Sambalpur.PIN-768004 Ph.No. 0663-6451237,

Fax: 0663-2533597,Email: thelink@biswa.org

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Launching Cum Awareness Ceremony ofHandloom Cluster Development, Matikhai, Sonepur

Continued ... Pg.2

demand.Considering all these hurdles in

the way of weavers to generateincome from their trade, 'BISWA'proposed a series of intervention forthe weavers in the form of a ClusterDevelopment Programme (CDP) toNABARD, where components likeformation of SHGs, AwarenessCamp, skill and design developmenttraining, bankers meet, establishmentof Common Facility Centre (CFC),buyer-seller meet, exposure visit etcwere included to increase theirexisting income. As NABARDaccorded its sanction, the launchingcum awareness programme was heldafter completion of SHG promotionand bank linkage.

Mr Satyaranjan PramanikManager Programme of 'BISWA'presided over the function held atMatikhai. Mr Sushil Bisi DistrictManager 'BISWA' Sonepur districtwelcomed and introduced the guests

Launching ceremony ofHandloom Cluster Development(HCD) programme on weaving atMatikhai, in Sonepur district was heldon 20 August 2010 at the communityclub of Matikhai Village. Shri BinodKumar Pati General Manager DIC ofSonepur district participated in theceremony as the Chief Guest.'BISWA' organised the wholeprogramme.

Handloom Cluster at Matikhai isan age old Cluster where more than150 weaver families are residing.Livelihood of these familiesinterfaces in between weaving ofSambalpuri Sarees and selling thosein local markets. The income of allthese families over the years hasremained at just a subsistence leveldue to several internal and externalfactors like lack of working capital,proper marketing linkage, absence ofstandard price, exploitation by middlemen/traders, lack of infrastructurefacility and absence of market

Orissa Election Watch organizes StateLevel Convention on Electoral &Political reforms in State Capital

dignitaries and participants during thegeneral session. Mr Prafulla DhalDirector BRIC, BISWA alsoenlightened the gathering as aResource Person. Mr BrajarajMahapatra, Deputy ManagerProgramme, East Zone, 'BISWA', MrJayashree Mohanty, Dept. Manager,BRIC and Mr. Nrusingha Dhal, Dept.Manager, BRIC also participated inthe Convention.

The presentations of the 'BISWA'staff members including theirindividual views were highlyacclaimed by the participants and theyexpected more inputs and suggestionsin future with regard to electoralreforms.

Continued from... Pg.3

O r i s s aElection Watchorganized astate levelconvention on'Electoral &P o l i t i c a lReforms' on28th & 29thAugust 2010 atBhubaneswar, in collaboration withNational Election Watch & ADR.

The main purpose of thisconvention was to share the learningfrom 2009 General Election, todiscuss and suggest electoral reformsat various levels including requiredreforms for local bodies whichinclude Panchayatiraj system & urbanlocal bodies and to prepare a futurestrategy for Orissa Election Watch.

'BISWA'- as a member in the StateCoordination Committee successfullyfacilitated the workshop on"Elections & Electoral reforms inUrban Local Bodies" on 28th Aug. Dr.Jharana Mishra, Manager RDC of'BISWA' presented her valuableinputs and suggestions before the

Marketing and Insurance to enhancethe entrepreneurship and securitydimension of the weaver community.In this connection, he ensured thecommunity to give his best on behalfof the Organisation for the capacitybuilding training programme. Heinvited the representatives of the

weaver community to express theirproblems, so that it will be easier toworkout.

The Launching cum awarenessprogramme ended with vote of thanksto the dignitaries and participants byMr Bishudhananda Mishra from'BISWA'.

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EditorialLet's flourish - - -

During the Independence Day message, I stressedon the need for agricultural development in the stateas the state is going to face food scarcity soon forthe rapid industrialisation and there by misuse ofarable lands in most parts of the country. At the sametime, urbanisation also looms large over theagricultural lands situated close to the towns not onlyin our state but everywhere in the country. Hence itperfect time to think for the food security of thecountry as it is humiliating an affair to talk of hungerand starvation when we speak of 'Chandrayan'- thehighest scientific expedition.

Every conscious citizen must think of the problemas because a problem once started takes many yearsto be solved. It is a good gesture that the food problemin the country is not that acute as it was immediatelyafter independence. Govt has also got very manywelfare measures for the poor people and their foodsecurity. Rs. 2-a-kg rice is also one such programmein our state and after it came to force poor peopleare not facing much problem for a square meal asthey faced it earlier. At least they are in a safe positionso far as their monthly requirement of rice isconcerned.

But what is more important is self-sufficiency. Thedependency and subsidy are for people who are nodoubt unable to purchase it at the prevailing marketprice. But this is not a good trend for all time to come.

With vast mineral, forest, water and naturalresources coupled with fertile land, it is unfortunatefor all of us to see our people languishing underpoverty. If we go on analysing the problem that whywe are poor or who is responsible for it, the problemwill be never going to end. It is rather hard work,sincerity and determination that can lead us in thepath of development.

So let us possess all these three virtues and prosperso that poor Orissa will never remain as an epitomeof poverty and illiteracy in the map of the country.The solution is - Grow and let others grow---

present in the programme. At the out set, Mr Pramanikbriefly introduced the objectives of such function. Amongthe other dignitaries present in the launching ceremonywere Mr P.K. Das Lead District Manager of Sonepur, MrArtatrana Panigrahi Assistant General Manager-NABARD, Mr. Iswar Meher - recipient of National CraftsMan Award and Mr Bhimsen Meher from Dhama Cluster.

Addressing to the gathering of 150 weavers at theceremony, General Manager of DIC appreciated theinitiatives taken by 'BISWA' with the help of NABARDand said that the weaver community need to do their bestand get optimum benefits from this kind of approach.He narrated group activities to be more productive thanindividual activity. He also visualised about marketfertility in respect of raw material viability. He mentionedthe existence of rice mill cluster in the western parts ofOrissa but he got pleased to see handloom cluster atSonepur and assured to provide all shorts of help to themso far as the facilities and benefits are concerned.

Lead District Manager of Sonepur told the weaversabout the benefit and how this kind of clusterdevelopment programme would help to improve the lifeof artisans. "Different backward and forward linkageswill also add to the success by way of improving theirproduct quality," the manager said. He further assured tosensitise the weavers about the value of this cluster interms of raw material viability, production and workingcapital management. In this regard, he requested weaversto capitalise this kind of cluster programme to get numberof benefits in a row and increase their income as DRDAand NABARD are always for them to give support andaccelerate their income in this trade.

The Assistant General Manager of NABARD-

'BISWA' joins hands with martyr's family at Chantipali

'BISWA' has a uniqueoperational model which works inan integrated approach. While ourcore activities are Micro Finance,but at the same time our 'ultimategoal' is Social Developmentthrough genuine commitment.And this was demonstrated by thestaff members of 'BISWA' atChantipali Branch in Jharsugudadistrict on the Independence Day.

Deepaksen Bhoi belonged toSaraipali village near Chantipaliunder Lakhanpur block. Like -'Tulasi dui patraru base' (morningshows the day); Deepaksen was abrilliant all-rounder since hischildhood. In his youth, he joinedIndian Army to serve themotherland. As a brave soldier, helaid down his life during Maoistencounter in Malkangiri this year.It was obvious for the villagers ofChantipali as well as the familymembers to remember him on theIndependence Day.

It was 15th August the mostauspicious day for the country. Thestaffs of 'BISWA' at Chantipalivillage have just completed the

Chantipali, a nondescript village ofthe state close to Orissa-Chhattisgarhborder as it has given birth to such ahero who died for the cause ofmotherland.

Each and every villagerappreciated the noble gesture of'BISWA' for its commitment towardsSocial Development and affablerelation with common people.

We can say proudly, "HAMARA'BISWA' MAHAAN." This shouldalso be a source of inspiration to allother staffs present across the country.

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flag hosting ceremony. Immediately,they found the near and dear ones ofDeepaksen coming to the 'BISWA'Office. They requested the staffspresent over there to hoist theNational Flag in Deepaksen's homein his native village to which the latteraccepted gladly. Mr Dipak DasBranch Manager Chantipali and hiscolleagues rushed to the village. MrAlekha Sahoo A.M. (Training-CB)also accompanied.

Mr Dinabandhu Padhan theheadmaster of Chantipali UP Schoolunfurled the National Flag with alldignity and honour. After the flaghoisting, everybody remembered theLATE MARTYR Dipaksen Bhoi whofought with courage and breathed hislast on the bullets from the Maoistsand died a heroic death that rarelycomes to the luck of everyone.

The parents, teachers, friends,villagers, well-wishers and all thosewho were present on the occasioncould not control their tears. It wasreally a heart-touching scene. Thestaff of 'BISWA' while narrating thecourage of the Martyr also praisedwith high words to the sacred place-

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Sonepur explained about the variouscomponent and activities to beundertaken during the three yearsperiod of implementation of theprogramme and promised to extendall possible supports from his side,but in contrast he requested thecommunity to give their best in termsof participation in all the activitiesduring these three years.

Manager Programme Mr SatyaRanjan Pramanik guided thecommunity in terms of BISWA'sintervention in the field of MicroFinance, Micro Enterprise, Micro

Continued from... Pg.2

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