The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : More Lepakshi showrooms to be set up

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Friday, Apr 01, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

More Lepakshi showrooms to be set up

By Our Staff Reporter

VISAKHAPATNAM, MARCH 31. The Andhra Pradesh Handicrafts Development Corporation (APHDC) will open more of its Lepakshi showrooms in the State and also revive some of those that closed down in the other States to increase the demand for handicrafts and promote the work of artisans.

New showrooms will come up at Khammam, Kakinada and Nellore. The showrooms in Madras and Bangalore, which were closed down during the previous regime, will be re-opened.

The APHDC Chairman, B. Anjan Raju, told reporters here on Thursday that more efforts would be made to market the wares of the 1.5 lakh artisans tied up with the corporation. An additional showroom had been proposed for Delhi and new ones planned for Punjab and Gujarat. The Lepakshi showroom at Visakhapatnam would be renovated at a cost of Rs. 50 lakhs. A showroom will be opened at the APTDC's hotel at Araku. Among the products he wanted to promote were the toys of Etikoppaka and Kondapalli, the gilt ornaments of Machilipatnam and leather works of Warangal and Anantapur.

More exhibitions

Mr. Anjan Raju said the Development Commissioner of Handicrafts at Delhi was approached to increase the number of the exhibitions abroad from the present four.

He has agreed for 15 exhibitions. They will be preceded by campaigns depicting the fine workmanship of artisans by video clippings. To help artisans, who have no tie-up with Lepakshi, more exhibitions will be conducted.

Seventy such exhibition were organised during the previous year. The corporation with a turnover of Rs. 34 crores has earned a profit of Rs. 1 crore during the current year.

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