Global recession has its adverse impact on the handicraft sector of the country as well, according to deputy director of the Handicrafts Department, Government of India, C.George Varghese.
George Varghese, who was here in connection with the opening of the handicraft-handloom exhibition organised by the Gujarat Emporium, said that the global recession had already affected the exports of the handicraft sector of the country. The export earnings of the country from handicraft products is about Rs 17,500 crore per year. Major share of this comes from the exports to the USA. However, the demand for Indian handicrafts has come down recently. In the domestic markets also the situation is not much different, he said.
He said the Handicrafts Department under the Central Government is now organising exhibition-cum-sales of handicraft products in more than 200 places in the country. This is done mainly with an objective to create an awareness among the people. In order to help the handicraft sector and artisans, the government is now encouraging cluster-level production and marketing. Under this system, clusters producing products in a particular sector will be created and the government will provide them help for production and marketing. In Kerala, as many as 26 clusters have been created, he said.
He also said that the Central Government is implementing various schemes for the welfare of artisans in the country. They include a health insurance scheme called Rajiv Gandhi Silpi Arogya Yojana Scheme under which a four-member family of an artisan would get Rs 15,000 per year for treatment expenses.
Source : Expressbuzz.com