Odisha Plans AI and Blockchain Handloom Hubs in 3 Districts

23 May 2026, 13:38 by Vinay Kakkad · KalingaTV

A high-level meeting was recently held to discuss the strategic establishment of advanced handloom hubs and parks across Cuttack, Bargarh, and Jajpur districts in Odisha. Sanjay Kumar Singh, Secretary of the Department of Construction, led the meeting, focusing on infrastructure upgrades.

AI and Blockchain Handloom Hub in Cuttack:
In Cuttack’s Abhimanpur, the government is moving forward with an AI and blockchain enabled handloom hub. The project covers 2.77 acres with a ₹13.51 crore budget. Plans include an administrative office, guest house, display shop, weaving center, sales stalls, and warehouse. The goal is to put local handloom, handicrafts, and terracotta on the map and provide lasting jobs for locals.

Comprehensive Handloom and Garment Park in Bargarh:
Bargarh’s Gobindpur Mauja will see a major garment and handloom park on 9.35 acres, funded with ₹20 crore. The park targets artisans from West Odisha, especially Sambalpur, Subarnapur, and Balangir. It will be stocked with sewing machines, plus warping, winding, and weaving operations, giving over 300 artisans a platform to produce garments.

Weavers Market for Bargarh:
Bargarh’s Behera Balijuri will host a huge weavers’ market. This project, budgeted at ₹27.57 crore, sprawls across 29.12 acres and will fit 2,000 stalls for selling local handloom goods. To make things easier for vendors and visitors, the site will have proper roads, organized parking, and dedicated food stalls.

Silk and Tourism Handloom Hub in Jajpur:
Jajpur’s Gopalpur will get its own AI- and blockchain-backed handloom hub, built over about 2 acres for ₹15 crore. This facility will zero in on silk sarees, garments, and home decor. It’s designed not just for production, but to push regional tourism. Expect separate production zones, supply chain setups, training programs, independent stalls, an administrative office, and a “Resham Odisha” outlet to promote local textiles.

The session brought together senior leaders like Poonam Tapas Kumar (Handloom, Weaving, and Handicraft), Balwant Singh (Tourism), L.K. Padi, Vikramaditya Barik, Surya Narayan Pattanaik (Silk), and Ashutosh Mohanty (Weaving & Handicrafts). They all stressed that modernizing the handloom sector will boost jobs, skills, and tourism across the region.