- The West Bengal government’s efforts to revive the traditional arts and crafts of Bengal has finally got international recognition.
- The two kinds of mats — sitalpati and madur — and the shalpata plate has received Unesco recognition for being traditional handicrafts.
- The West Bengal Khadi and Village Industries Board, a statutory body under the state MSME and textile departments, has been working to revive and promote sitalpati, madur, shalpata plates and other such traditional Bengali handicraft items.
- According to government officials, madur sticks are primarily produced in East and West Midnapore, whereas sitalpati sticks are produced in areas of Cooch Behar.
