Other States - Madhya Pradesh   

Bid to export handicrafts

Staff Correspondent

`Artisans producing goods to meet demands of foreign markets'

BHOPAL: The Madhya Pradesh Minister for Panchayats, Rural Development and Village Industries, Narendra Singh Tomar, said here on Tuesday that the State Government was making "focused" efforts to promote export of creative goods produced by artisans and weavers from different parts of the State.

Talking to The Hindu, Mr. Tomar said the State Government had reached an agreement with the British Government and rural artisans had started producing goods to meet the needs and demands of foreign markets.

Mr. Tomar informed that he had met the head of Creative Industries, British Council, Andrew Senior, at the State Secretariat on Monday. This meeting, also attended by senior State officials, was aimed at exploring the possibility of exporting sizable quantities of goods and handicrafts produced by artisans and weavers of Madhya Pradesh to Britain.

Mr. Tomar said concerted efforts were being made to highlight the skills of Madhya Pradesh artisans at the international level. He said British designers were even imparting training to artisans in some pockets of the State. "There is also a proposal to send artisans from Madhya Pradesh to Britain for training and enhancing their skills."

Mr. Senior arrived here after visiting Indore, Budhni, Mandla, Betul, Tikamgarh, Dhar, Barwani and Ujjain. He expressed satisfaction at the quality of handicrafts being produced in these clusters.

Mr. Tomar said there is a proposal to develop Gwalior as a cluster for carpet weaving and stone cutting. The State Department for Village Industries is also preparing a blueprint for a special project to showcase Gwalior at the international level. The idea is to create new employment opportunities and ensure a quantum leap in demand for the acclaimed carpets of Gwalior.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

"Naxals will not be allowed to misguide the tribals"
Bid to export handicrafts

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu