30 days skill development training on handmade paper held

Our Correspondent

Itanagar: The Monpa tribe of Arunachal Pradesh are known for handmade papers since time immemorial.

The paper is prepared from bark of a plant called Daphne Papyracea or Shugu Sheng in the local dialect, but this traditional art is slowly dying with the passage of time. Therefore to keep this traditional way of papermaking intact, a 30 days skill development training programme concluded on Tuesday at Langaiteng (Shakang Rong) Mogto Circle.

The training under BADP 2018-19 was inaugurated on March 6 last, organised by YUVA Arunachal, an NGO, under supervision of district industries centre at Tawang, an official communique informed here.

Since a few people of Mogto village are still continuing this tradition as a family business, 60 unemployed youths 30 each from Bongkhar and Mogto circle were selected for the training.

Two master trainers and two assistant trainers trained these selected youths, however, due to the declaration of general elections the training was stopped for a few days and resumed after the polls.

Speaking on the closing day of training, District Planning Officer Sangha Babung and Assistant Director of Industries Tsering Drema said, “It will be little difficult for all of you to start your business in the beginning, but you shouldn’t be demoralized and keep going from door to door selling your local papers and tell the people about the benefits of these local handmade papers, popularize it you will definitely succeed.”

Representatives of YUVA conveyed their thankfulness to the youths for coming forward to learn this art of papermaking, and district administration and government for supporting and supervising the training.

All the trainees were given certificates for successful completion and attending the training, the communique added.

Also read: Arunachal news