The Ministry of Textile recently inaugurated the ‘Lota Shop’ at National Crafts Museum, New Delhi. The shop displays a range of handcrafted curios, souvenirs, handicrafts and textiles in traditional Indian styles. The government has also emphasized its commitment to the ‘One District One Product’ initiative to boost the Handicraft sector and Artisans.
Detailed Insight: One District One Product
‘One District, One Product’ (ODOP) is an initiative rolled out by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries. The program was launched in January 2018 with the aim of utilizing the full potential of districts to promote economic and socio-cultural growth and create employment opportunities, particularly in rural areas. The successful implementation in Uttar Pradesh led to its adoption by the Central Government. This initiative goes hand-in-hand with the ‘Districts as Exports Hub’ initiative by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Department of Commerce. The objective is to promote a distinctive product from each district and transform every district into an export hub. It is intended to support local businesses, find potential foreign customers, and scale manufacturing, thus contributing to the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ vision.
Current Status of Handicraft Sector in India
Handicrafts are unique items constructed manually using simple tools, designed for a specific function or utility. The handicraft industry forms the backbone of India’s rural economy with its diverse outputs like woodware, artmetal wares, handprinted textiles, embroidered goods, zari goods, imitation jewellery, sculptures, pottery, glassware, attars, agarbattis etc. As per the latest data, the exports of handicrafts excluding handmade carpets stood at USD 174.26 million in March 2022. The sector has witnessed a 25.7% increase from the previous year with total exports reaching USD 4.35 billion during 2021-22. However, artisans face challenges such as inaccessibility of funds, low penetration of technology, absence of market intelligence and poor institutional framework.
Driving Forces behind the Growth of Handicraft Sector
Government initiatives, emergence of dedicated trade platforms such as Craftezy, and technological adoption for wider inclusion play vital roles in the growth of the sector. Changes in behaviour patterns of artisans to adapt new skills to meet market demands, positive trends in exports and the support offered by social media platforms for marketing Indian handicrafts globally have also contributed to the growth.
Government Initiatives for Handicraft
Several government schemes and initiatives aim at developing the industry to maximize its potential. ‘Ambedkar Hastshilp Vikas Yojana’ supports artisans with infrastructure, technology and human resource development needs. ‘Mega Cluster Scheme’ focuses on employment generation and lifestyle improvement of artisans. ‘Marketing Support and Services Scheme’, ‘Research and Development Scheme’, ‘National Handicraft Development Programme’, ‘Comprehensive Handicrafts Cluster Development Scheme’, and ‘Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts’ are some other notable initiatives by the government.
The Future of Handicraft Sector in India
The Indian craft sector stands with the potential to be a billion-dollar marketplace with appropriate support and conducive business environment. As the sector evolves and gains more traction, e-commerce is likely to play a critical role in offering online visibility and operational efficiency. Despite the challenging conditions faced by the artisans, the government’s efforts in making the handicraft products globally competitive and improving conditions of the craftsmen, show promising signs of a bright future for the sector.
