Thursday, 15 April 2021 | PNS | Dehradun
After introducing the programme of installing nameplates with Aipan designs in front of the houses of the locals with their daughter’s name, the Nainital district administration now plans to install the nameplates with Aipan drawings outside the offices of the district level departments. These nameplates would be designed by women Self Help Groups (SHGs) who have been trained by experts in Naina Devi growth centre to draw Aipan on various materials including cardboard and different types of fabrics among other objects.
Talking about this initiative, the General Manager (GM) of the district industries centre (DIC) of Nainital, Vipin Kumar said that like the idea of the installation of nameplates with the youngest girl child’s name at every house of the district, this idea was also suggested by the Nainital district magistrate, Dhiraaj Singh Garbiyal. He said that the DM initiated the programme of the installation of nameplates with the name of the youngest girl child in the family in order to strengthen the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign across the district. This initiative also helps the Kumaoni folk art of Aipan region reach every household besides providing employment opportunities to several women who have been trained in this art form professionally by artists and experts since the last year, asserted Kumar. He added that the district administration is now taking a step ahead and would soon replace all the nameplates at the district level offices with the Aipan design nameplates. Updating on the installation of Aipan nameplates in front of local houses, the district officials informed that the Women Empowerment and Child Development (WECD) department has provided the data of about one lakh households to make the nameplates but the department initially ordered only to make 1,000 nameplates. The women are about to finish 1,000 nameplates and would soon design more nameplates as per the further orders of the WECD department, stated officials. According to them, the preparation of making nameplates with Aipan drawings for district level offices would probably commence from the next month.
Meanwhile, the officials also informed that the women of SHGs are also preparing eco-friendly bags with Aipan drawings in order to introduce the products in the open market. The officials disclosed that the administration wants to introduce these bags in different sizes and qualities as per the requirement of the clients as well as a better option against single-use plastics in the market. About 60 women are presently involved in this project and once they will make about 2,500 bags with Aipan designs, the products will be introduced as samples to various clients as per the requirement. The officials said that the administration is planning to connect about 450 women with such projects under the Naina Devi growth centre to make them financially independent so that they can run small businesses on their own too. They also informed that since most of the women have received proper training from the experts in the workshop which was being conducted since December, it will end this month.
