The handicrafts sector requires a new, ambitious vision that takes it to new heights with ambitious targets, and the country should not be satisfied with the 29 percent increase in exports achieved in 2021-22, said Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of Textiles, Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, while delivering the address at the 23rd Handicrafts Export Awards Function held yesterday.
Goyal stated that the increase in handicraft exports from Rs. 25,680 crore in 2020-21 to Rs. 33,253 crore in 2021-22 should not be used as a benchmark because the sector has a tremendous capacity to strengthen its export targets even further.
He urged the award winners to emphasize quality, consistency, design, and branding in order to create an ecosystem in which a multifold increase in the sector is possible. The textile minister urged exporters to focus on innovation to drive sector growth, citing a number of examples, including solar charkha. He cited the rapid rise of Tiruppur, which has grown dramatically in recent decades, and predicted that handicraft exports would skyrocket.
He emphasized that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is seen wearing some of the artistically woven clothes, is the brand ambassador of India's handloom sector. He stated that during the Prime Minister's visits to other countries, mostly Indian handicraft products are given as gifts. Nearly 200 Indian missions around the world follow a similar practice.
Goyal stated that the Ministry of Textiles has a database of 30 lakh artisans, and that focusing on increasing the artisan's income by even Rs. 1000 per month could lead to a transformation in their lives. He proposed that artisans be linked to GeM. Also, the mandatory GST registration clause could be improved in order to bring artisans on board with e-commerce platforms.
The textile minister suggested that artisans be given a platform in the Dubai Expo Centre to showcase their products and organize buyer-seller meetings, highlighting the significant opportunity created by Free Trade Agreements with the UAE and Australia.
He also praised EPCH's efforts over the last three and a half decades to promote and boost exports. The award ceremony recognizes exporters for their outstanding performance in 2017-18 and 2018-19. The evening saw a large gathering of India's handicraft exporters from all over India, as well as Raj K Malhotra, Chairman of EPCH; Kamal Soni, Vice Chairman of EPCH; Rakesh Kumar, Director General of EPCH and Chairman of India Exposition Mart Ltd.; and members of EPCH's Committee of Administration.
The awards were presented by Goyal and DarshanaVikramJardosh, Union Minister of State for Textiles and Railways. Upendra Prasad Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, also graced the occasion, which was presided over by Shantmanu, IAS, Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Ministry of Textiles, Govt. of India. According to Darshana Vikram Jardosh, Union Minister of State for Textiles and Railways, it is critical to promote and support artisans. She praised EPCH for promoting small artisans through its exhibitions.
The winners were congratulated by Upendra Prasad Singh, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India. He claimed that even during the COVID pandemic, handicrafts exports grew. He also emphasized that handicrafts employ nearly 70 lakh people in the country, either directly or indirectly.
According to Raj Kumar Malhotra, Chairman of EPCH, a total of 126 awards were given to 61 winners in 2017-18 and 65 winners in 2018-19. In addition, a special commendation award was given. The Awards, which were established in 1989, are divided into four broad categories: Top Export Award, Product Group-wise Awards, Regional Awards, and Woman Entrepreneur Award, totaling 39 Trophies, three Platinum Performer Certificates, 72 Merit Certificates, 11 Women Entrepreneur Awards, and one Special Commendation Award.
The goal of the awards is to instill a sense of healthy and wholesome competition among exporters. Over the years, these have become a coveted recognition among handicraft exporters, with more and more vying for a spot in these awards.
The Handicrafts Export Awards aim to instill a sense of healthy competition among exporters and to encourage healthy competition through the establishment of such prestigious awards. The Awards have become a coveted recognition among handicraft exporters, with more and more exporters vying for this honor. This has also resulted in a significant increase in the country's handicraft exports.
The Export Awards Selection Committee, chaired by the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) or his nominee (Addl. Development Commissioner-Handicrafts) and members of the Council's Committee of Administration, selects the export awards based on the export performance of the exporters duly certified by the Chartered Accountant.
Based on their export performance, handicraft exporters are given five types of awards: Top Export Award (All Handicrafts), Top Export Award (Product Categories), Women Entrepreneur Award, Merit Certificates for Excellent Export Growth, and Regional Export Award.
