Context:
MSME, Khadi and Village Industries Minister said that the Matikala Board has given employment to 30,888 people.
- A total of 48,048 artisan families have been identified. Out of these, 32,593 received soil-digging leases, 15,832 were given electric-powered wheels, and 81 diya-making machines and 31 painting machines were also distributed.
- Additionally, 19,650 beneficiaries were trained, and 122 cooperative societies were set up.
- Awards were presented at the state-level Clay Art and Village Industry Award ceremony:
- Anand Kumar Prajapati from Azamgarh won the first prize (Rs 40,000) in Clay Art, Ram Sajeevan Prajapati from Ayodhyawon the second prize (Rs 30,000), and Vipin Kumar from Kanpur Dehat won the third prize (Rs 20,000).
- In the Village Industry category, Munesh from Meerut won the first prize, Arjun from Banda won the second, and Ashok Kumar Jaiswal from Varanasi took the third prize.
About Matikala Board
- The Uttar Pradesh Matikala Board was established as an independent body to support artisans and craftsmen working with clay.
- Its goals include promoting traditional clay art, improving artisans’ social security and economic strength, and providing better marketing opportunities.
- The Uttar Pradesh Matikala Board was formed under a 2018 notification.
- It aims to preserve this ancient art and make clay products accessible to the public.
- The board’s schemes are implemented by the Regional and District Village Industries Officers from the Uttar Pradesh Khadi and Village Industries Board.
Head office: Lucknow