Raipur: The district administration of Maoist-affected district from Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada has launched a new initiative to weaken the Maoist forces by empowering and providing jobs to local youth.
The Dantewada district administration has set up a garment industry called Dantewada Next (DanNext) which will manufacture and sell the clothes under this brand name.
Dantewada District Collector Deepak Soni said, “With local resources and manpower, we have launched apparel unit called DanNext to promote Bastar tribal art nationally and internationally and provide employment to local tribal youth and artists.
Initially we have engaged 150 men and women and will expand the working strength up to 300. We have signed MoUs with NMDC, security forces, Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) for marketing and consumption of our products. It will help us to fight naxalism and include more and more people in mainstream of development,” the Collector said.
“Indigenous art and rich tribal culture of Bastar will be showcased in the clothing items manufactured under DanNext and make it widely available. We are directly in touch with Myntra the fashion e-commerce company,” he added.
Indigenous and fusion technique have been used to make the product more attractive.
“Commercial production will start after formal inauguration by Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel by January end. We are trying to get the dates from CM,” the Collector said.
