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Plan to take handicrafts made in rural India abroad

PUDUCHERRY: As part of an initiative to bring a positive impact of globalisation to rural India, Exim Bank is looking for partners to take handicrafts made in rural Indian to markets abroad.

Speaking at a function organised by ITC at Cottage Industries in Kurumbapet near here on Monday, Exim Bank CMD T.C. Venkat Subramanian said that the bank was looking for partners who could form distribution houses to distribute handicraft products outside the country.

“Our role will be to interact with buying houses, finding design requirements, giving inputs on the pricing structure and logistics among other things. We have given a proposal to the Khadi and Village Industries Corporation (KVIC) to set up a marketing and capacity building organisation.

“The bank can take an equity of 40 percent, the KVIC could have 40 percent, and the self-help groups that are benefited by this project could have a 20 percent stake. But, KVIC is yet to reply,” he added.

He said Exim Bank was interacting with rural industries, and had also sent 15 to 20 products for testing to their Singapore office.

“This includes chikan work from Lucknow and banana fibre shirts from Kerala. We have also spoken to the Confederation of Rural NGOs of India to link units that are working in similar products so that the SHGs or cottage industries could help consolidate their work and increase their income.”

According to Manob Tagore of Cottage Industries, Exim Bank has partnered with ITC to provide international market access to their Mangaldeep range of incense sticks.

The partnership between Exim Bank and ITC has enabled ITC to export the products to Singapore, South Africa and USA.

Registrar of Cooperative Societies Sundaravadivelu said that a handicraft federation had been started by the Government recently.

The handicraft federation was started to increase the sale of handicrafts, make available raw materials, and provide space for units.

The bank’s Chief General Manager Muthukumaran said that their rural initiatives included providing finance, facilities, and promoting products.

“From 1987 to 1992 we have worked with 400 companies under a programme to take Indian products to developed countries,” Mr. Muthukumaran said.

V.M. Rajasekharan, CEO, ITC Agarbathi Division; B.V. Adavi, trustee, Sri Aurobindo Udyog Trust; and Matriprasad of Sri Aurobindo Ashram were among those who spoke on the occasion.

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