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Dimapur, Sep. 18 (EMN): The union minister of state for Skill Development and Entrepreneurships, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, has assured all possible assistance from the government to promote traditional artisans and also create market linkage in India and abroad.
Chandrasekhar made this assurance during a visit to Handicrafts Cluster of Dimapur in Sovima village on Saturday. Informing that his attention is focussed on traditional skills and handicraft sector, he assured to assist traditional artisans. The union minister was accompanied by Mmhonlumo Kikon, advisor of IT&C, NRE, Science and Technology, and Imnatiba Jamir, advisor of Labour and Employment, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Industries and Commerce.
In the Skill Development Ministry, he informed that 80% of the resources would be on traditional skilling, re-skilling and up-skilling and working with industry that could provide market access to those skilled artisans. He further requested the artisans and weavers to be ambitious.
Briefing the union minister, Jesmina Zeliang, an executive member of the Handicraft and Carpet Sector Skill Council (HCSSC), mentioned that they were working with more than 600 artisans including weavers. Mentioning that they had skilled artisans, she however felt the need to partner with industries to take them aboard to the next level in order to ensure continuous employment.
She also felt the need to have a centre of excellence where artisans could get involved directly with the stakeholders, while the stakeholder would have the responsibility of linking them to the national and international markets.
The union minister also visited ‘Mongken,’ an apparel and garment production and training unit which is a convergence project under Sankalp, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, government of India, in Dimapur.
During a short interaction with the officials, additional director of DUDA, Anungla Phom, highlighted how the ‘Mongken’ brand was initiated by DUDA to create economic opportunities for local designers, artisans and craftsmen from Nagaland. She also informed about the establishment of Anghya market linkage hub in 2019 in all four district headquarters of eastern Nagaland to maximise income generation in rural areas.
Minister also highlighted the importance of traditional crafts supported with skill and technology to make them commercially successful and assured all possible help.