Local artists raised voice against outsourcing tenders of art-work and beautification in city

RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh’s artists, painter and sculptors have expressed their resentment against the state government for hiring contractors from outside the state for the works of wall paintings and making sculptures for the upcoming Rajya Utsav-Statehood celebrations beginning from November 1 .
Under these beautification works, the local artists are hired by these contractors to accomplish the art-work on salary or wages basis and the registered contractor takes-away the benefits of lucrative tenders.
Raising the issue, Chhattisgarh based artists formed an organisation called Chhattisgarh Murtikar, Chitrakar Association (CMCA) and submitted a memorandum to chief minister Raman Singh, seeking his intervention to protect the interests of state’s own artists.
CMCA’s member Chandrashekhar Gawai told TOI that “The local artists, who do art-work of beautification across the city are hand-to-mouth in order and their financial condition are not good so as to compete in tendering process. “ There is a cumbersome procedure involved in participating in tenders being floated by public works department , which also involves investment of Rs 1.25 lakh ”, he said.
They said the state government should take steps to protect the interests of local artists by ensuring that these type of works are given to NGOs or cooperative societies of artists on priority basis.