Shimla: Efforts to sustain the states handloom sector has found support in the response the hand made products are getting from online shoppers, something which the state corporation forayed into only six months back.
There was always a demand for Himachali handicrafts but availability was limited to sales outlets located with the state and some of them scattered across the country’s major cities, said a spokesman of HP Handicraft and Handloom Corporation.
Starting online marketing in January 2010 that is linked to a payment gateway has increased the market reach globally and the corporation was now receiving orders from across the globe, he added.
Among the items popular handicrafts bought by online shoppers the traditional Himachali caps, woolen shawls, Kangra paintings, Chamba Rumals, Chamba chappals, jewellery, Kangra painting and traditional Jewelery are much sort out by online shoppers, he said.
Sales have handicraft products from all the corporation outlets, which include e-shopping has increased from Rs 2.37 crore to Rs 4.05 crore said the spokesman.
Started in 1974 the handloom corporation is mandated with reviving of extinct crafts, the corporation is assisting in design development, skill generation, pre-loom, loom and post loom facilities to weavers and other artisans, production in workshops, marketing of handloom and handicrafts items through a chain of the emporia, exhibitions and expositions.
With active assistance from the central governments ministry of textiles the corporation is assisting Kullu handloom cluster with a financial outlay of Rs 2 crores that will benefit 5000 weavers, Gohar handloom cluster in Mandi district with financial outlay of Rs 44.20 lakhs for the benefit of 350 weavers and a handloom cluster in Reckong Peo – Kinnaur having a financial outlay of Rs 55.15 lacs for the benefit of 364 weavers.
Besides the corporations 32 sale outlets, of which 15 are within the state, bulk orders from paramilitary forces, railways and air force through Association of Corporations & Apex Societies of Handlooms (ACASH) and e-shopping is helping handicraft manufactures to sustain their livelihoods in the face of stiff competition from machine manufactured goods.
(File Photo)
As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads a team of media professionals at Hill Post.
Spanning a career of over two decades in mass communication, as a Documentary Filmmaker, TV journalist, Print Media journalist and with Online & Social Media, he brings with him a vast experience. He lives in Shimla.
Ravinder Ji,
All these are cosmetic news, please try to get the list, address and telephone numbers of weavers who are getting benefits out of it. I bet it will be hard to get 100 authentic names who really got the benefit. Every year government grants are distributed worth crores for this sector and termites and fake societies loot the major chunk in name of weavers..and news keep floating with good future and prospects and Ludhiana Mills keep flourishing.
That’s a bogus propaganda, we all know how well these 5000 weavers will get benefit..just in book entries and press releases. Had this been really substantial then there must be some visible signs of it. Even in handloom and handicraft fairs..there are no signs of Handloom or Handicraft products, just blunders with fake UP and Delhi Make items being sold, formalities are done and funds are shared by clever FOXES both from govt representatives and people who run fraudulent societies & NGO’s.
If you really feel to improve the handloom and handicrafts sector then first file a RTI for number of actual beneficiaries and their contact details and see for yourself that in name of these people loot is being organised for last one decade by Handloom & Handicrafts Mafia…If still not satisfied come to Kullu and i will take you to den of culprits and ask them the record of last ten years of beneficiaries..see how much funds were distributed and who became a crorepati from a roadpati..
You do a noble job next time, just publish the contact, address and telephone numbers of these 5000 beneficiaries and see for yourself that even actual 500 would be tough to locate..