PANAJI
They may be in big demand prior to Ganesh Charuthi, but the number of clay idol artisans in the State has been on the decline since the last decade.
According to details from the Goa Handicrafts Rural and Small Scale Industries Development Corporation Limited (GHRSSIDC), a total of 526 clay idol artisans had availed government subsidies to prepare Ganesh idols in 2012 and this figure reduced sharply to 376 in 2022.
The GHRSSIDC had released Rs 1.52 crore as subsidy amount during the last three years for around 1.50 lakh Ganesh idols prepared in the State, an average of around 50,000 Ganesh idols made in a year.
The rising rates of clay, scarcity of labour, paucity of skilled artisans, illegal use of PoP idols and the general apathy of the youth to embrace this traditional vocation have been some of the reasons attributed for the declining interest in preparing clay idols.
According to sources, the clay that is specifically used in the making of idols has become expensive and artisans have to pay Rs 30,000 for a truckload of clay.
Since this is a seasonal activity, the youth are not willing to leave their jobs and return to their traditional family vocation. And despite the ban, Plaster of Paris idols are easily available and sold in the markets, adversely affecting traditional clay idol artisans in the State.
According to a scheme in 2008, Rs 100 is given per clay idol as subsidy to clay artisans. The subsidy is offered to those idols which have a height of more than one foot.
Clay artisans have complained that the rate of Rs 100 per idol has remained static for the past 15 years, though the raw material cost has risen sharply over the years. They now want the subsidy to be hiked to Rs 250 per idol.
The artisans have lamented that the government has not shown any interest in hiking the 15-year-old subsidy, making it unviable to pursue this traditional art.
