Training program to upskill artisans and weavers launched in Guwahati

Guwahati: Minister of State for Textiles and External Affairs Pabitra Margherita, on Saturday inaugurated the Bunkar and Karigar Utthan Upskilling Programme for this financial year featuring 100 clusters in 100 days in Guwahati. The event, organized by the Office of Development Commissioner for Handloom and Development Commissioner for Handicraft, Ministry of Textiles, was inaugurated virtually across the country.

Margherita, in his inaugural address, emphasized the importance of preserving India's rich craft heritage while adapting to modern market needs. He stated that this initiative represents a crucial investment in our artisans and handloom workers. "By equipping them with advanced skills and knowledge, we are not only preserving our traditional arts but also ensuring that our craft sectors remain competitive and vibrant", he added. Speaking to Business NorthEast, Margherita noted that he is very fortunate to be part of Northeast and he will make efforts to improve the condition of the textile industry of the region.

Under the Bunkar and Karigar Utthan Upskilling Programme, 70 clusters in the Handicrafts sector and 30 clusters in the Handloom sector will receive focused upskilling through training programs.

U.G. Brahma, Assam's Minister of Handloom, Textile & Sericulture, also addressed the attendees, emphasizing the program’s significance for regional development. He noted that a large number of people in Assam are associated with weaving and that this initiative will benefit them. He added that the State government has introduced various flagship schemes in this sector for the betterment of the handloom sector.

The "Karigar Uthan Program - 100 Clusters in 100 Days for Upskilling” initiative is a Training and Design Programme under the Government of India's '100 Days Action Plan'. As part of the initiative, the Office of Development Commissioner for Handloom and Development Commissioner for Handicraft aims to provide technical and soft skill training to the younger generation while simultaneously fulfilling the current demand and design needs of the market.

In the 70 Handicrafts clusters, covering 70 districts in 31 states, upskilling of 2,100 artisans is proposed through 51 Guru Shishya Hastshilp Prashikshan Program (GSHPP) and 19 Design Development Workshops (DDW) programs in 52 different crafts. In the 30 Handloom clusters, upskilling of 1,527 handloom workers is proposed through 29 Weavers’ Service Centres (WSC) in 26 states and union territories.

The primary objective of the Guru Shishya Hastshilp Prashikshan Program (GSHPP) is to transfer traditional craft knowledge from master craftspersons (Gurus) to the younger generation artisans (Shishyas) to bridge the skill gap and fulfill market demand. The Design Development Workshops aim to develop new designs and prototypes as per the present requirements of the handicraft sector using the existing skills of artisans.