Shimla: Struggling to keep float, the Himachal Handicraft and Handloom Corporation got into online marketing of its inventory of products ranging from Kullu and Kinnauri Shawls, Kangra paintings, Chamba Rumals, caps metalware, jewelry and wood carvings by launching an e-shopping (http://himcrafts.com/) facility today.
Speaking on the occasion, Kishan Kapoor, the minister for handloom and handicrafts said, the government was making all efforts to protect the Geographical Indicator (GI) status of Kullu shawls and the corporation would only sell genuine products through its online marketing channel.
He said that to enforce the GI status of Kullu Shawls, a society had been constituted which would rope in all existing weavers society in Kullu valley to make them compliant with the norms required. “No power loom product or any from out of the state would be permitted to be sold under the Kullu Shawl brand,†he said.
He said that the demand for Himachali handicrafts was increasing and it was to make the product available to domestic and international customers that the e-commerce channel had been launched. Online shoppers would get the products at a discount over retail outlets, he added.
Efforts of the corporation entailed reviving extinct arts, design development, skill generation, production in 
workshops and marketing of the products through a chain of emporia, exhibitions and expositions, he said.
In all, the corporation operated 15 sale outlets within the state and one each in Bangalore and Delhi. In the 30 exhibitions organized during the current fiscal, a sale of Rs 82 lakhs had been recorded, which was much higher than the Rs 45 lakhs achieved last time.
Supported by the central ministry of textiles, a Rs 2 Cr project for the benefit for 5000 weavers in Kullu handloom cluster was under implementation, said Kapoor. Other than that Rs 44.20 lakh project for Mandi handloom cluster and another Rs 55.15 Lakh project for Kinnaur handloom cluster were being executed for the benefit of weavers, the minister said.
Lalit Mohan, CEO disclosed that efforts were being made to revive the corporation and it had recorded an Rs 10 crore revenue in 2008-09. The corporations has an accumulated debt burden of Rs 17 crore, he added.
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..just get some update..how many hand loom / handicrafts products are being sold with this endevour..I bet not even 100. They make news but later go to sleep like polar bears..then again after 6 months will waste crores of rupees in inaugurating such schemes and not even an inch is gained in progress. Seems privileged to waste public funds with no marketing and proper advertising. The whole handloom and handicraft sector of Himachal is flooded with fraudsters, fake societies eating funds and grants in name of innocent artisans ..who dont even know that Charles Shobhraj’s of this sector has looted funds worth crores in their names and schemes..The office of KULLU HANDICRAFTS is a den of such fraudsters who keep tolling with public money..where weavers are dying and cheaters are enjoying..! Just file a public interest litigation and get the info through RTI act and you will get to know that how funds worth crores are burgled by fraudsters in the name of weavers..wake up !!!
Look, how much effecient our leaders are..dont even know how to use a mouse and keypad, need an IAS / HAS officer to click button..lols !
u r right Rajneesh Sharma.