(News) State seeks revival of Bundelkhand’s handicraft industry

News : State seeks revival of Bundelkhand’s handicraft industry

The state handloom directorate is launching a project to revive the handloom and handicraft industry in Bundelkhand. Besides supporting the artisans, the project would create a market for their products and train them to upgrade their designs.

The department has identified two major handloom styles for promotion.

A research officer in the handloom directorate, S Mishra, said: “The Bundelkhand region is rich in handloom and handicrafts. Handloom carpets of Banda and Chitrakoot districts were once an integral part of almost every North Indian home.”

Gradually, however, the weavers either switched over to farming or migrated to big cities, he added. “The art is surviving in just a few villages and only some households weave the carpets now,” said Mishra. “By supporting the weaver families, poverty and unemployment in the region can be checked,” he added.

Besides carpets, there are six more handloom industries like the doormat weaving industry in the region, though only a few weavers are practising these. Mishra said the department is trying to identify such families and help them.

The department has already sought the support of the National Handloom.

Development Corporation. Besides budgetary support such as loans to the weavers, it will also upgrade their skills and train them to meet the consumer demand. The department also seeks to provide market linkages for their products.

Director, handlooms C Tiwari said, “The department will promote these artisans by conferring them with various awards.”

Courtesy : http://www.expressindia.com