Handicrafts:

• Our country is gifted with a rich range of beautiful handicrafts. Almost every state of the country has its unique handicrafts. These products are a part and parcel of the culture of the concerned communities. Passed on from generation to generation, these handicrafts have the potential of sustaining the artisans economically.
• The definition of handicrafts as per Honourable Supreme Court in Louis Shoppe judgment decided on 12.03.1995 says “it must be predominantly made by hand. It does not matter if some machinery is also used in the process. It must be graced with visual appeal in the matter of ornamentation or inlay work or some similar work lending it an element of artistic improvement. Such orientation must be of a substantial nature and not a mere pretence”.
• Handicraft is rightly described as craft of the people and in India it is not just an industry as the word is commonly understood but is the aesthetic expression of the artisans which not only fulfills the daily needs of the people but also satisfies their aesthetic desire.
• There are approximately 70 lakh handicraft artisans in the country, which includes 20 lakh artisans related to the carpet sector, practicing more than 500 types of crafts such as Metal Engraving, Zari Zardosi, Teracotta, Stone Carving, Phulkari, Wood Inlay, Chikankari, Cane and Bamboo, Wooden Toys, Blue Pottery and Kutch Embroidery.
• Out of these, 35 crafts have been recognized as “Endangered Crafts” such as Assamese Jewellery, Rogan Painting, Sanjhi Crafts, Ganjeefa Cards and Chamba Rumal and 92 crafts have been registered under “Geographical Indication Act” like Ganjifa cards of Mysore, Kashmir Paper Machie, Madhubani paintings, Kathputlis of Rajasthan, Odisha pattachitra, Varanasi Glass beads and Warli painting of Maharashtra.
• 56 per cent of the artisans are female.

Role of handicrafts in Indian Economy:

• The Indian cottage industry, not only provides employment to the rural artisans but also has played an important role in building a parallel rural economy.
• Even now the small scale and cottage sector help to solve social and economic problems of the artisans, by providing employment.
• It provides employment to a vast segment of crafts persons in rural and semi urban areas.
• It generates substantial foreign exchange for the country, while preserving its cultural heritage.
• Handicrafts have great potential, as they hold the key for sustaining not only the existing set of millions of artisans spread over the length and breadth of the country, but also for the increasingly large number of new entrants in the crafts activity.
• India is one of the important suppliers of handicrafts to the world market.
• In the changing world scenario, craft products exported to various countries form a part of lifestyle products in the international market.
• The impact is due to the changing consumer taste and trends for the 7 million craft persons who are the backbone of the Indian handicraft industry possessing inherent skills, technique and traditional craftsmanship quite sufficient for the primary platform.
• However, in the changing world market, these crafts persons need an institutional support at their places of work i.e. craft pockets for value addition and for the edge with other competitors like China, Korea, Thailand etc.
• There is a high demand for Indian utilitarian and traditional crafts in the domestic and international markets.
• A total of 199 lines of products are now being produced and exported from India. India has been a large exporter of handicrafts over the years and the exports trend has been increasing year by year.
• The top ten countries contributing to export of handicrafts items(major items being art metal wares, wood wares, hand printed textiles, embroidered and crocheted goods) during the last five years are USA, U.A.E., United Kingdom, Germany, Netherlands, France, Australia, Italy, Canada, Latin American countries, Japan and Switzerland. India is the world’s largest producer and exporter of handmade carpets since 2013-14.
• Currently, India’s share is 35 per cent of total global exports. About 85 per cent of total production in the country is exported to more than 100 countries.
• USA accounts for 45 per cent of total exports and Germany, UK and UAE together account for 20 per cent.
• China and countries of South America like Brazil, Mexico, Chile and Ecuador are emerging markets. Indian handmade carpets are renowned worldwide for their beautiful designs, variety, craftsmanship, eco-friendly dyes and quality services at competitive prices.

Challenges:

• The handicraft artisans are mostly working in an un-organized set up which makes them prone to exploitation by middlemen.
• The handicraft sector has challenges of working capital, poor exposure to new technologies, absence of full market intelligence and institutional framework.

Addressing the challenges:

• Series of efforts have been taken to redress these problems and the sector is now witnessing good growth in terms of product development, domestic sales and exports during the 12th Plan.
• The office of Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) is the nodal agency in the Government of India for craft and artisan-based activities.
• It assists in the development, marketing and export of handicrafts, and the promotion of craft forms and skills.
• The assistance is in the form of technical and financial support, including in the form of schematic interventions implemented through its field offices.
• As the nodal agency, the Development Commissioner spearheads the country’s efforts to promote the handicrafts sector.
• The office supports the artisans and the sector through its six regional offices at Mumbai, Kolkata, Lucknow, Chennai, Guwahati, and New Delhi and its 53 field units.
• Market Linkages are provided through various domestic and international marketing events organized throughout the year in various parts of the country.
• Domestic marketing platform is provided by organizing Gandhi Shilp Bazaar, Crafts Bazaar, etc and organizing handicraft exhibitions in prominent shopping malls of the country.
• International Marketing platform is being provided to awardee artisans through participation in international marketing events.
• The handicraft awards namely Shilp Guru Award, National Award, National Merit Certificates and Design Innovation award are among the highest awards for the meritorious handicrafts artisans of the country.
• The objective is to give recognition for encouragement to outstanding craftspersons to maintain excellence in craftsmanship and keeping alive our old traditions.
• Also, skill up gradation and development in handicraft sector is an excellent approach for development of artisans, poverty reduction and providing income generation which would also help in achievement of sustainable development goals.