Dimapur, July 31 (MExN): An awareness programme under the Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries (SFURTI) sponsored by Ministry of MSME was organized by Naga Women’s Welfare Society (NWWS), Dimapur in association with Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) was held at Tseithrongse Village of Bamboo Handicraft & Naga Textiles Cluster, Dimapur on July 27.
More than 80 artisans and weavers attended the programme, stated a press release received here.
Delivering welcome address, Jesmina Zeliang, Convener EPCH (NER) & Vice President, Dimapur Women’s Welfare Society elaborated that Women’s Welfare Society is the Implementing Agency (IA) of SFURTI while Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE) is the Nodal Agency (NA). Export Promotion Council for Handicraft (EPCH) will provide technical support to both NA and IA as Technical Support Institute under the project SFURTI.
She also informed that NWWS has been working in the field of Textiles for last 10 years and has promoted more than 500 artisans.
The chief guest, Dr V Sivakkumar, Deputy Director, WSC shared various schemes of Weavers Service Centre. He stressed to increase the production base and develop new designs in view of the market.
P Tokugha Achummi, GM DIC, Dimapur informed that the objective is to equip traditional artisans of the associated clusters with the improved skills and capabilities through training and exposure visits and to make provision for common facilities and improved tools and equipments for artisans in order to strengthen the cluster governance systems with the active participation of the stakeholders, so that they are able to gauge the emerging challenges and opportunities and respond to them in a coherent manner.
I. Athuba Lusang, Deputy Director, KVIC Dimapur stated that the Common Facility Centre at Sovima Village will be instrumental for technological and social transformation of the weavers of the cluster. He also stated that the main aim of establishing a Common Facility Centre is to provide infrastructure facility mainly for unorganized sector in the project villages.
Bhaskar Baruah, Project officer (NER), EPCH, Guwahatihas informed about the activities of EPCH in North Eastern States. EPCH has organized various domestic and international marketing events throughout the year for the artisans and entrepreneurs of north eastern states. So he requested the artisans to participate and avail benefits of these marketing events.
Baruah also informed that in North East Region EPCH is proving Technical Support in 13 (thirteen) clusters and five new clusters will also be taken up in these financial year. Total number of beneficiary will be 7,491. On marketing front, the artisans from NE States with the support of DC (Handicrafts) has given opportunities for participation in IHGF Delhi Fair organized by EPCH to explore exports and undertake Brand image promotion campaigns in traditional as well as non-traditional markets. Every year Council participates on an average 30 exhibitions abroad with exporters of handicrafts and conduct brand image promotion seminars for creating awareness and market intelligence and linkages.
For registration of artisans in GeM Portal, Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) has opened two help desk at Guwahati (Assam) and at Imphal (Manipur) to assist the artisans, micro entrepreneurs for registration under Government e Marketplace (GeM) with the support of DC (Handicrafts), NER. The help desk has been setup at the Regional Office of EPCH Guwahati and at Handicraft Service Centre, Imphal.
For any assistance, artisans can contact Bhaskar Baruah (94018 44963) and Maibam Surjamala Devi (87876 30214).
