Shilpa National Awards to recognise handicraftsmen

Tuesday, 25 February 2014 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The National Awards will be presented by President Rajapaksa today at BMICH

The Ministry of Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development is mandated with the responsibilities to strengthen the craft sector in the country. In this context, Provincial craft exhibitions and the national craft exhibition are conducted annually with the support of the National Crafts Council and National Design Centre. Island-wide best craft products and processes are showcased at this national exhibition. Ministry of Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Secretary V. Sivagnanasothy said that, based on the provincial crafts exhibitions followed by the national exhibition, the best performing craftsmen in the 19 craft clusters and 54 craft sub clusters are recognised, motivated, encouraged and honoured through the Shilpa national awards program. The 2014 National Awards Program for Craftsmen is scheduled to be held on 25 February 2014 at the BMICH from 1:30 p.m. Mahinda Rajapakse, the President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka will be the Chief Guest for this program and to recognise and award best performing craftsmen of the country. His presence and gracing of this important event has given a lot of encouragement, motivation and support to handicraftsmen of the motherland. Minister of Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Douglus Devananda is providing the leadership and strategic guidance to take the handicraft sector forward with the support of the Deputy Minister Weerakumara Dissanayake. Crafts sector carries a tremendous bearing on the ancient tradition, heritage and culture as well as social and regional economic development of Sri Lanka. The ‘Mahinda Chintana – Vision for the Future’ emphasises to preserve the craft sector and extend support to strengthen and revive the sector for the benefit of the future generation and for projecting the country’s rich culture to the world as well as the tourists who visit Sri Lanka. In this regard, the National Crafts Councils, National Design Centre and the Sri Lanka Handicraft Board are working together to achieve these objectives. 334 award winners There are 334 award winners of which 2 are gold awards (1 from Matara – wood based – Lord Buddha arriving Nagadeepa; and 1 from Badulla – contemporary craft – National Bird), 13 silver awards winners (4-Galle – Caved mask, Batik, Lace, Painting and sculpture) 2- Kandy (Metal based, wood based); 1- Matale (Lacquer and sesath); 1-Kurunegala (coconut, Kithul, tala based product); 1- Matara (Leaves and grass based product) ; 1-Gampaha (musical instrument); 1-Ratnapura (stone based);1- Moneragala (cane and bamboo); 1-Colombo (Miscellaneous), 37 first places, 39 second places, 47 third places and 196 merits. In the Northern and the Eastern provinces 15 craftsmen have got national awards covering various sectors such as Palmyrah leave based products, wood, metal and stone based products and coir based product etc. The national awards recognises the excellence in various craft sectors such as clay; fibre, leaves and grass; cane, bamboo and rush and reed; metal based, jewellery, masks and puppets; musical instruments, lacquer and sesath; wood carving and sculpture; leather based products; stone based handicrafts; textile and batik; coconut, Kithul, tala and Palmyrah passed products etc. These national awards will serve as evidence and proof for the craftsmanship, quality and capacity and will help the craftsmen to access credit from banks and other facilities and services from state and non-state institutions. The success stories of such best performed craftsmen will be disseminated and given wider publicity to encourage the new generation. Every year the Ministry with the NCC recognises, motivates and provide awards, certificates and cash prices over 300 craftsmen at the national level. At the provincial level on an annual basis over 1,500 craftsmen are recognised and given awards to encourage and motivate. Such motivation and encouragement are important to incentivise the craftsmen, the community and the young generation. 12 traditional handicraft villages This Ministry with the National Crafts Council and National Design Centre has developed 12 traditional handicraft villages based on the budget proposal-2013 in Line with the Mahinda Chintana – Vision for the Future. These craft villages are Neelawela Jewellery village and Kuragala Musical instrument village in Kandy District; Unaweruwa sesath village and Pahalahapuvita Lacquer village in Matale District; Mawgama mask village in Kalutara District, Bope Poddala wood carving village in Galle District; Hitthetiya musical instrument village, Kapparantota bobbin lace village and Dodampahala coir village in Matara District; Katupotha clay village in Anuradhapura District, Thalankuda palm leaf handicraft village in Batticaloa District and Masiyappitti palm leaf handicraft village in Jaffna District. These villages have been given technology transfer and training and the market oriented new designs with product development specially to develop souvenir items and gift items and products to reflect ancient historical, cultural and social locations. These initiatives are being supported by the National Crafts Councils, National Design Centre, Industrial Development Board and Palmyrah Development Board. Moreover, in 2014, the Ministry is supporting 17 traditional handicraft villages in 12 districts namely Puttalam, Kandy, Gampaha, Matara, Jaffna, Polonnaruwa, Kurunegala, Trincomalee, Ampara, Baticaloa, Kilinochchi and Kalutara. Total of Rs.110 Mn was allocated in the medium term budget framework for development of traditional handicraft villages. Further, with the Indian small grant assistance programme, we are in the process of establishing additional two handicraft production and marketing villages in Kavantissa Pura in Hambantota and Kaithady, Jaffna. These villages will showcase the craftsmen skills, capabilities and designs including products and processes and support craftsmen to sell their products directly to the consumers without channelling through the middlemen. Ban export of metal scraps The President has taken action through a Cabinet decision to ban the export of metal scraps such as aluminium, copper, brass, pewter, special kinds of iron, cast iron and steel scraps with the view to support the local craftsmen and small scale domestic industrialists who are dependent on such metal scrap for their raw material requirement. The Ministry has taken forward many strategic initiatives such as strengthening traditional handicraft villages, pottery village programme, women entrepreneurship development programme, master craftsmen training, product development and design, incubation and training through craft training centres, and other services such as provision of raw materials and tools, facilitation of access to credit and market facilitation through national and provincials exhibition and trade fair. Further, under the President’s Budget proposal – 2014, the Ministry of Finance and Planning has initiated action to provide interest free loans without collaterals to women entrepreneurs and A Revolving Fund is being established to support the working capital requirements of the craftsmen based on the orders from reputed buyers. “This Ministry and its institutions are working towards the vision set out in the National Development Plan of making Sri Lanka a Wonder of Asia.” said Ministry of Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Secretary V. Sivagnanasothy