Special Efforts Needed For Marketing Of Handicraft Products

Chief Minister Smt. Vasundhara Raje has said that Handicraft, Art & Craft, Heritage and Tourism are identities of Rajasthan. The state government is focusing on promotion of these sectors and to make them create employment opportunities for the artisans. Taking steps further in this direction, Rajasthan Craft Council comprising of experts of marketing of handicrafts, art & craft, weaving etc. has been constituted This would be an apex body for policy initiatives in these sectors.

Smt. Raje was chairing the first meeting of the Rajasthan Crafts Council at the CMO on Friday. She said that the main objective of the Council would be to advice the state government on promotion of design, innovation, skill development, quality control, branding for art & craft sector along with ensuring funds availability, market access and cluster development. She said that the council would also suggest ways for search of talent in different regions, honing skills of artisans and creating employment opportunities for them along with conservation of local crafts and arts.

The CM said that the council members would utilize their expertise for the benefits of artisans, so that heritage of the state could be conserved and economic conditions of the craftsmen and artisans could be improved. She also invited suggestions for organizing street food festivals and craft festivals at different locations.

During the meeting some working groups were constituted amongst the members of the council. These groups would give recommendations on topics such as textiles, traditional architecture, stone & clay craft, leather handicraft, handmade paper, art jewelry, e-commerce and marketing linkages and preparing a directory of local artisans and crafts.

Industries Minister Shri Gajendra Singh Khinvasar, Members of the Rajasthan Craft Council Smt. Mira Mehrishi, Smt. Rathi Vinay Jha, Smt. Laila Tyabji, Shri Mitchel Abdul Karim Crites, Smt. Anjali Singh, Smt. Neelam Chibber, Shri Alon Molay, other members of the Council, Principal Secretary MSME Shri Rajeeva Swarup, Commissioner Industries Shri Abhay Kumar, Principal Secretary Tourism Shri Shailendra Agarwal, MD RSLDC Shri Gaurav Goyal and other senior officials were also present in the meeting.

Jaipur, October 16, 2015