Mon, September 10 (MExN): A total of 126 stage-3 verified artisans from Mon district participated in a one-day awareness workshop on branding and marketing under the PM Vishwakarma Scheme at the Town Council Hall, Mon on September 9.
The workshop was organised by the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), through the MSME Development and Facilitation Office (MSME-DFO), Dimapur, in collaboration with the Department of Industries and Commerce, Nagaland, and the District Industries Centre (DIC), Mon.
The participants included carpenters, masons, basket makers and barbers from different parts of the district. The workshop covered product packaging, labelling and design, business development, export opportunities, artificial intelligence (AI), e-commerce, QR code generation and financial literacy.
Delivering the keynote address, EAC Mon Shekhozo Vero stressed the need for artisans to develop an entrepreneurial approach and improve their access to markets. He said an artisan generally produces according to customer orders, while an entrepreneur focuses on production as well as creating a market for products.
Vero said artisans in Mon have significant potential because of the uniqueness, quality and craftsmanship of their products. “I believe we will be able to find Mon artisanal products across the country in the coming years as well as in international markets,” he said.
The session on product packaging, labelling and design was conducted by Allen Konyak, founder of Ipseity Bake & Co., Mon. It covered packaging techniques, product presentation, labelling requirements, branding and product design based on customer needs and market demand.
The State Programme Management Unit (SPMU), PM Vishwakarma, conducted a session on AI and e-commerce onboarding, introducing participants to the use of AI tools for product promotion, content creation, customer engagement and business planning. The session also highlighted e-commerce platforms as a means of reaching markets beyond the district.
Sumit Kumar, Executive, India Post Payments Bank, Mon, conducted a session on export development and QR code generation. He also explained digital payment facilities and procedures for Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) account opening under the scheme.
A financial literacy and interaction session was conducted by Shanpong Konyak, Assistant Manager, State Bank of India, Mon. It covered household budgeting, investment planning, life insurance, credit discipline, credit scores, loan repayment, digital banking and cyber fraud awareness.
During the interaction, participants raised concerns over deductions of processing fees from bank accounts, documentation requirements for loans and delays of more than three months in field verification.
The workshop also included a business development session conducted by Polem, Financial Analyst, RAMP, focusing on business planning, SMART goals, networking, digital business development, identifying product strengths and unique selling propositions, target customers and pricing strategies.
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks by Nikhilendra, IEDS, Assistant Director, MSME-DFO Dimapur, who reiterated the office's commitment to supporting artisans in developing sustainable enterprises in Nagaland.
