Design development programme inaugurated in Lakhimpur

A CORRESPONDENT

LAKHIMPUR: Women Development Centre (WDC) has started a design development programme at Gorchinga Traditional Handloom Cluster in Lakhimpur from Friday. The Ministry of MSME, Government of India, has sanctioned a cluster development programme under Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries (SFURTI) during 2019-20. One of the primary objectives of the project is to enhance the marketability of products of clusters by providing support for new products, design intervention, to build innovative and traditional skills, improved technologies, which will provide sustained employment for conventional industry artisans. The Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE) Guwahati is the Nodal Agency, Export Promotion Council of Handicrafts (EPCH) the Technical Agency where Women Development Centre is the implementing Agency of the project. A total of 550 weavers are in the cluster and these programmes will cover 360 (Design Development 180 & Skill & Capacity Building 180) artisans in the cluster.

The inaugural function of the programme was held in the cluster premises. In the event BhagyawatiBhyuan, Project Director of WDC, stated that, under the project, there would be a production centre where modern looms would be installed which would provide a right working environment and the contemporary looms would also increase the production.

"On the marketing front, EPCH has been providing the marketing platform to showcase these products in various national and international level events organized by EPCH. Some of the cluster products have been showcased in the virtual marketing events organized by EPCH in July and November, and we have received a positive response from the domestic and overseas buyers", she said .

Dhrubajyoti Barman, designer of EPCH (Assam) stated that the objective of the programme was to improve the international competitiveness of locally produced exportable products and also to provide a marketing platform to the lesser explored craft of the area which would enable the engaged artisans to improve their livelihood. Sh Barman further stated that EPCH projects the NER handicrafts' specific image by setting up of a thematic display of North Eastern Handicrafts in international level exhibitions in India as well as trade shows of prime repute, overseas.

Sister Betsy, the Director of WDC thanked the officials of IIE for their guidance and support in the implementation of the project and also appreciated the dedicated efforts of the EPCH's design team headed by Amla Srivastav the head designer, Delhi for providing the valuable input on design and product diversification for targeting the domestic as well as international market. She also thanked BhaskarBaruah the Project Officer (NER) for the continuous support & encouragement to the artisans through WDC.

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