Visithma New Craft Exhibition: boost for handicraft industry

Visithma New Craft Exhibition, organised by the National Crafts Council will be held until March 21 at the Lionel Wendt Art Gallery, Colombo 7.

Pushpa Rajapaksa, wife of Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa inaugurates Visithma New Craft Exhibition. Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Minister Douglas Devananda, Deputy Minister Weerakumara Dissanayake, Indian High Commissioner Ashok K Kantha and National Crafts Council Chairman Buddhi Keerthisena were present. Picture by Ruwan de Silva

The exhibition began on March 19. The inauguration ceremony of the exhibition was held with the participation of Pushpa Rajapaksa, wife of Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa, Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Minister Douglas Devananda, Deputy Minister Weerakumara Dissanayake, Indian High Commissioner Ashok K.Kantha, ministry secretary V Sivagnanasothy and National Crafts Council chairman Buddhi Keerthisena.

Addressing the occasion, Sivagnanasothy said the National Crafts Council is in the process of producing value added products using waste material.

He said under the leadership of Minister Douglas Devananda and Deputy Minister Weerakumara Dissanayake, the Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Ministry has taken a number of measures to develop the country's handicraft industry.

“The development of traditional handicraft villages is one of the main initiatives taken by the ministry. Under this programme, 12 handcraft villages have been developed. We need to link up with the tourism industry to widen the market opportunities of the industry both locally and internationally. The government expects to increase tourist arrivals to 2.5 million by 2016.

It is important to develop the country's handicraft industry to meet with future demands of the tourism industry,” Sivagnanasothy said. He said the Indian government's contribution should be appreciated as they provide grant assistance to develop Sri Lanka's handicraft industry. Two crafts villages have already been established in Hambantota and Jaffna with these grant assistance.