Now Reading: Rs 3 crore Etikoppaka Handicrafts Theme Park foundation laid
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Rs 3 crore Etikoppaka Handicrafts Theme Park foundation laid
The foundation stone for the Rs 3 crore Etikoppaka Handicrafts Theme Park was laid on Friday in Etikoppaka village, Anakapalli district. Officials including Special Chief Secretary S. S. Rawat, District Collector Vijaya…
The foundation stone for the Rs 3 crore Etikoppaka Handicrafts Theme Park was laid on Friday in Etikoppaka village, Anakapalli district. Officials including Special Chief Secretary S. S. Rawat, District Collector Vijaya Krishnan, and Yelamanchili MLA Sundarapu Vijay Kumar attended the ceremony.
The MLA and officials visited local artisan workshops, observed traditional lacquerware toy-making and use of natural colours, and discussed challenges faced by the craftspeople. Rawat said the handicrafts have earned a unique international identity and stressed promoting the craft to support artisans.
MLA Kumar said 10 acres of land has been identified for the project. The government plans to develop Etikoppaka as a major handicrafts and tourism destination, with proposals including a resort, boating facilities, and a comprehensive welfare plan covering healthcare and marketing for artisans.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Etikoppaka toys are a Geographical Indication (GI)-tagged product, placing them in the same protected category as Channapatna toys and Mysore silk. The GI tag prohibits non-local producers from using the name, making government investment in infrastructure a direct way to protect the craft's market exclusivity. Andhra Pradesh's tourism department typically funds such theme parks under its integrated craft-village development scheme, which pairs infrastructure spending with livelihood training. The real measure of this project will be whether the promised healthcare and marketing support materialise alongside the physical park, since past craft-village plans in the state have often delivered buildings faster than the services artisans need to sustain their income. The resort and boating proposals signal an attempt to turn a production hub into a tourist stop, a model that has worked for other GI crafts in states like Rajasthan and Karnataka.
Source: thehindu.com
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
