The West Bengal government is conducting acting workshops for sex workers to help them get jobs in the entertainment industry, a minister said on Friday.
Sixty sex workers and their children were given acting lessons as well as training in jewellery and costume making on Friday under a project called 'Swabalamban Special', Sashi Panja, who is minister of state for women development, social welfare and child development, told IANS.
"Many of them are attracted to the glamour world and through acting lessons they can work as junior artists in television and movies of the regional film industry," she said.
"They can also be engaged in making jewellery and costumes required for the entertainment industry."
The project is being run concurrently with the state government's 'Muktir Alo' (Light of Freedom) initiative to train female sex workers in vocational skills and provide them financial assistance in starting small-scale businesses.