Craft wood bank brings relief to Etikoppaka toy artisans

In a village called Etikoppaka, there are artists who make beautiful traditional wooden toys.

These toys are famous and have a special government tag called GI.

The artists needed a special kind of wood, called Ankudu karra, to make the toys.

In the past, they had to buy this wood from middlemen, who could charge almost any price.

A bundle of 30 wood sticks cost about 2,500 to 3,000 rupees.

Now, the state government is building a special 'wood bank' in the village.

At the wood bank, artists can get the wood directly without middlemen.

Similar wood banks are being built in five other places too.

A government leader, K. Pawan Kalyan, had promised this help before elections, and now it is happening.

The first wood bank in Etikoppaka will open on August 15.

The artists hope this will make their work cheaper and help them sell even more toys.