The Odisha

G a z e t t e

EXTRAORDINARY

PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY

No. 556 CUTTACK, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2024/FALGUNA 23, 1945

No. 1758—HTH-HC-FE-27/2023-HTH-HCS-MISC-0091/2023-HT & H.

GOVERNMENT OF ODISHA

HANDLOOMS, TEXTILES & HANDICRAFTS DEPARTMENT

RESOLUTION

The 11th March 2024

SUBJECT— Restructuring of Odisha Handicraft Service Cadre under H.T. & H. Department.

Handicraft sector is one of the vital sectors as it provides ample self-employment opportunities

to many persons in urban as well rural areas of the State. Recognizing the importance of the

sector and with a view to further strengthen it, the State Government merged the sector with

Handlooms and Textiles Department after bifurcating it from Industries Department by renaming

the Department as Handlooms, Textiles & Handicrafts Department. Similarly, the MSME Sector

was carved out from Industries Department and a new Department M.S.M.E. Department was

formed.

2. For smooth functioning of the works and for independent field offices in handicraft sector,

the State Government bifurcated the posts/manpower including the officers of erstwhile OIS Cadre

and IPO Cadre of M.S.M.E. Department. For officers who were transferred from OIS Cadre and

IPO Cadre, two new cadres were created as “Odisha Handicrafts Service (OHS)” and “Odisha

Subordinate Handicrafts Service (OSHS)” respectively. The OIS Cadre Officers were absorbed in

the OHS Cadre which consists of posts of Asst. Director, Handicrafts, Deputy Director, Handicrafts.

Joint Director, Handicrafts, Additional Director, Handicrafts and Director, Handicrafts. Similary, the

Industries Promotion Officers were redesignated as Handicrafts Promotion Officers and absorbed

in the OSHS Cadre, The pay level/scale etc. of these officers remained same as they were availing

prior to their transfer from the M.S.M.E. Department.

3. In the meanwhile, M.S.M.E. Department with a view to strengthening Government service

delivery framework under its purview, have restructured the OIS and IPO Cadres under its control

vide its Resolution No. 6018, dated the 21st August 2023.

4. With a view to strike a healthy balance between the functional requirements and the career

progression of the officers of handicrafts sector and keeping in view the recent cadre restructuring

of OIS and IPO Cadres by the M.S.M.E. Department vide their Resolution cited above, the

2

restructuring and merger of Odisha Handicrafts Service Cadre and Odisha Subordinate Handicrafts

Service Cadre was under active consideration of the State Government. Now, after careful

consideration, the State Government have been pleased to restructure the OHS & OSHS Cadres

in the following manner.

5. The OHS Cadre is restructured and gradewise cadre strength of the restructured Odisha

Handicrafts Service is as below :

Sl.

Name of the post

Scale of Pay as per

Sanctioned

No.

ORSP Rules, 2017

strength

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

1

Director of Handicrafts

Level-16

1

2

Additional Director (Handicrafts)

Level-15

1

3

Joint Director (Handicrafts)

Level-14

5

4

Deputy Director (Handicrafts)

Level-13

18

5

Assistant Director (Handicrafts)

Level-12

30

6

Assistant Handicrafts Officer

Level-10

120

Total . .

175

(i) The Odisha Subordinate Handicrafts Service (HPO) Cadre are hereby declared as a

dying cadre. No recruitment in this cadre shall be made in future. All HPOs and

equivalent posts notified vide H.T. & H. Department Notification No. 2190, dated the

19th April 2022 are hereby absorbed in the restructured OHS Cadre as “Assistant

Handicrafts Officers”.

(ii) The post of Assistant Handicrafts Officer of Group-B grade/rank (Level-10) shall be

the entry level post of OHS Cadre.

(iii) The total sanctioned strength of OHS Cadre will be 175 in all ranks/grade from Level-10

to Level-16 of scale of pay as per ORSP 2017.

(iv) A new Odisha Handicrafts Service Cadre Rules shall be framed to carry out the

provisions of this Resolution.

(v) This restructuring proposal of OHS Cadre has been duly concurred by the Finance

Department and G.A. & P.G. Department. It has also been approved by the State Cabinet

in its 76th meeting held on the 9th March 2024.

ORDER—Ordered that the Resolution be published in the extraordinary issue of the Odisha

Gazette and copies thereof be forwarded to all Departments of Government/all Heads of

Departments/Accountant General, Odisha, Bhubaneswar/Secretary, Odisha Public Service

Commission/Secretary to Governor, Odisha/Registrar, Orissa High Court.

By order of the Governor

ARABINDA KUMAR PADHEE

Principal Secretary to Government

Printed and published by the Director, Directorate of Printing, Stationery and Publication, Odisha, Cuttack-10

Ex. Gaz. 2766—173+50