Is closure threat looming over ARTFED ?

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Is the public sector Assam Apex Weavers & Artisans Co-operative Federation Ltd (ARTFED) going the State Co-Operative Marketing and Consumers Federation Ltd (STATEFED) way and heading for closure?

It has come to light that following the Covid-induced lockdown, the fortunes of ARTFED has plummeted to a worrisome extent. The situation has reached such a pass that various showrooms operated by the ARTFED are facing a dearth of items to sell and its 158 employees have not received salaries for the last eight months.

Talking to The Sentinel, an employee of the ARTFED said that it has three handloom production units at Bamunimaidam, Paschim Boragaon and Nalbari. However, no production is taking place now at these three centres due to lack of raw materials.

The employee said that there is also a provision for procuring products from self-help groups and NGOs, but lack of funds is hampering that option as well.

The ARTFED had opened 48 showrooms/emporiums named as 'Jagaran', including five outside the State – at Delhi, Kolkata, Kanpur, Jaipur and Indore. However, the showrooms in Kanpur, Jaipur and Indore have closed down. The ones at Delhi and Kolkata are somehow pulling along, the ARTFED employee said.

In so far as Assam is concerned, Guwahati has the number of 11 showrooms, but these too are facing dearth of products to showcase.

The employee said that if the State Government does not take immediate steps to resuscitate the ARTFED, then it will soon become moribund like the STATEFED.

It may be mentioned that the ARTFED was formed in 1977 by reorganizing the Assam Apex Weavers Co-operative Society Ltd with the aim of organizing handloom weaving and other cottage industries in the State on co-operative basis. The ARTFED had been creating employment opportunities for lakhs of weavers and artisans in handloom weaving as well as in handicrafts activities.

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