Tag: handicrafts

Handloom and handicrafts sectors flourish in Bangla

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The handloom and handicrafts sectors of Bangla have seen a massive revival, under the guidance of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, in the last seven years.

From the issuance of identity cards, to the distribution of better equipment or the training of artisans – the State Government has extended all help to the people engages with this industry.

Thanks to the various fairs and exhibitions, and the Biswa Bangla Brand, handicrafts and handloom products of Bangla have now gone global.

Handloom industry flourishes

  • 5,31,075 Weavers’ Identity Cards (WIC) distributed in 2017, against nil as in 2011
  • 66,500 credit cards issued to weavers
  • 95,000 weavers imparted skill development training
  • 75,889 looms provided to loom-less weavers
  • 44 lakh cheaper variety cotton sarees produced
  • 16 times increase in creation of additional person-days – 533 lakh between financial years (FY) 2011-12 to 2017-18 as compared to 33.18 lakh till 2010-11
  •  1 lakh weavers being provided marketing support through Tanter Haats
  • 24.15 km link road constructed for better road network for handloom clusters Mega Carpet Clusters launched covering 3,500 weavers
  • Project Baluchari being implemented, involving 2,500 weavers
    Tantuja turned to a profit-making organisation from 2014-15, after making loss for decades – Rs 204.9 crore business turnover achieved by Tantuja in FY 2017-18

 

Revival of Bangla handicrafts

  • 5,31,772 Artisan Identity Cards issued between FYs 2011-12 and 2017-18 as compared to 37,213 between FYs 2006-07 and 2017-18
    12,000 credit cards issued to artisans
  • 10 Rural Craft Hubs established (in collaboration with UNESCO), benefitting 25,000 artisans. The project has attracted about 80,000 tourists in the last 3 years.
  • 27 marketing outlets set up for artisans in the last 3 years
  • Rs 924 crore business generated from fairs and exhibitions
  • Manjusha started making profit from FY 2015-16 after making loss for three decades; over Rs 91 crore turnover achieved in FY 2017-18
  • 8 Biswa Bangla showrooms functioning in and outside Bengal, from which more than Rs 50 crore in sales generated till 2017

Night market to open in Kolkata

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On August 14, a new type of market is going to be inaugurated in Kolkata – night market. The idea for such a market has come from the popular night markets in Malaysia, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Kolkata Municipal Development Authority (KMDA) is in charge of constructing and maintaining the place. It will come up near Abhishikta Crossing, stretching from the area near a private hospital in Kasba on EM Bypass up to Kalikapur.

According to a senior official of KMDA, the place will remain open from 6pm to 1am or from 10pm to 3am, on Fridays and Saturdays; it has not been finalised yet.

To popularise it, the market will be kept open for four continuous from the day of inauguration – August 14. On these four days, there will be cultural performances as well.

As per plans, there will be 75 stalls. All sorts of goods of daily needs (both grocery and vegetables) as well as handicrafts from across Bengal will be available at the night market. In fact, the KMDA official said, the latter will form the major attraction of the market.

There will also be readymade food stalls with dinner arrangements, along with arrangements for resting after shopping. All in all, it is expected to be a novel experience.

This will be the second unique marketing experience for the city-dwellers after the floating market in Patuli. Like with the Patuli market, the night market too is part of efforts to rehabilitate hawkers removed for widening of the EM Bypass.

Source: Millennium Post

Biswa Bangla outlet in China by July this year

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The state government is going to set up a Biswa Bangla outlet at Kunming Changshui International Airport in China this July. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in this regard was signed recently in the state administrative headquarters at Nabanna.

A Chinese delegation had attended the Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS) held in January and expressed its willingness to invest in Bengal. After BGBS, a Chinese had come to the city and held talks with businessmen and senior officials of the Industry department. Senior state government officials felt that opening of the stall would start a new chapter and would showcase some of the typical products from Bengal.

It may be recalled that after coming to power in 2011, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took special measures to revive the nearly-forgotten products like Muslim and sital pati along with utensils made of bell-metal. The mask industry of Purulia and South Dinajpur also witnessed a revival. The artisans were looked after. The weavers who produced Muslins for generations were not only taken care of but also given elaborate training by reputed fashion designers.

Now, along with Muslin sarees, kurtas, pyjamas, tops for women, pillow covers and bed linens have become immensely popular.

 

বিদেশের মাটিতে এই প্রথম বিশ্ববাংলা বিপণি

এই প্রথম দেশের বাইরে চালু হতে চলেছে বিশ্ববাংলা স্টল। এবার বিশ্ববাংলা স্টল জায়গা পাচ্ছে কমিউনিস্ট চিনে।ইতিমধ্যে রাজ্য সরকারের সঙ্গে চিনের একটি মউ চুক্তি স্বাক্ষরও হয়েছে।

আগামী জুলাই মাসের মধ্যেই চিনের মাটিতে বিশ্ববাংলার স্টল তৈরির কাজ শেষ হবে।  চিনের কানমিং চাংশুই আন্তর্জাতিক বিমানবন্দরে তৈরি হচ্ছে বিশ্ববাংলা স্টল।

পুরুলিয়ার মুখোশ কোচবিহারে শীতলপাটি ,ডোকরা, বাংলার মসলিন শাড়ি, কাঁসার বাসন থেকে বর্ধমানের মিহিদানা, সীতাভোগ এবার জায়গা পাবে সুদূর চিনে।  মুখ্যমন্ত্রীর বিশ্ববাংলা ব্র্যান্ড এবার সত্যিই পৌঁছচ্ছে বিশ্বের দরবারে।  বাংলার শিল্প সংস্কৃতি থেকে খাদ্য সম্ভার এবার জায়গা করে নেবে কমিউনিস্ট চিনে।

মুখ্যমন্ত্রীর উদ্দেশ্য ছিল বিশ্ববাংলা ব্র্যান্ডের মধ্যে দিয়ে রাজ্যের হারিয়ে যেতে বসা হস্তশিল্পকে পুনরুজ্জীবিত করা ও এই পণ্যগুলোকে বিশ্বের দরবারে তুলে ধরা। পাশাপাশি এই শিল্পের সঙ্গে জড়িত শিল্পীরাও যাতে উপকৃত হয় সেইদিকেও নজর রাখা।

কলকাতায় দমদম  বিমানবন্দর ,ঢাকুরিয়া ,দক্ষিণাপণে এবং বাগডোগরায় রয়েছে বিশ্ববাংলা স্টল।

 

In handicrafts, Bengal is now a force to reckon with

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According to data from the Union Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, in rural India, the largest distribution of handicraft establishments is in the State of Bengal, accounting for 17.83% of the total number in India. In urban India too, Bengal is high up the order, second only to Uttar Pradesh, with 14.1% of the total number of handicraft establishments.

Combining rural and urban India, West Bengal is the number one in India, accounting for 16.3% of the handicraft establishments.

The impetus that the Mamata Banerjee Government has been giving to the handicraft and handloom industries of Bengal over the last six years is yielding rich results.

Biswa Bangla brand

The Biswa Bangla brand, created by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee herself, has been an umbrella brand for all handicrafts and handloom products of the State. Manjusha, the brand under which West Bengal Handicrafts Development Corporation sells its products, and Tantuja, under which West Bengal State Handloom Weavers Co-operative Society sells its products, are the other major brands for the indigenous products of the State.

Regular fairs and haats are organised all across the State, that help the makers to sell their goods as well as get new orders. These are extremely popular affairs, drawing huge crowds wherever they are held. Biswa Bangla outlets have been set up in the State, as well as outside. Plans are on to set up more, including a Biswa Bangla Mall in Kolkata.

Impetus to MSME sector

Naturally, Bengal’s handicraft and handloom makers are now able to live comfortably off their trades. Now, they are eager not only to continue their trades but also to pass on their skills to the next generation. This is a far cry from the time of the Left Front Government, during whose tenure, as a result of massive neglect, the State’s traditional handlooms and handicrafts were dying a slow death.

 

হস্তশিল্পে অন্যান্য রাজ্যের থেকে এগিয়ে বাংলা

কেন্দ্রীয় পরিসংখ্যান ও রূপায়ন মন্ত্রকের তথ্য অনুযায়ী দেশের মধ্যে বাংলায় সবচেয়ে বেশি হস্তশিল্প প্রতিষ্ঠান রয়েছে। সারা দেশের ১৭.৮৩ শতাংশ হস্তশিল্প প্রতিষ্ঠান রয়েছে বাংলার গ্রামাঞ্চলে (যা দেশের মধ্যে সবচেয়ে বেশি) এবং শহরাঞ্চলে এর সংখ্যা ১৪.১ শতাংশ (বাংলা রয়েছে দ্বিতীয় স্থানে)।

গ্রাম ও শহর মিলিয়ে পশ্চিমবঙ্গ হস্তশিল্পে সারা ভারতবর্ষের মধ্যে এক নম্বরে রয়েছে। ১৬.৩ শতাংশ হস্তশিল্প প্রতিষ্ঠান রয়েছে রাজ্যে।

বামফ্রন্ট সরকারের সময় থেকে রাজ্যের ঐতিহ্যগত তাঁত ও হস্তশিল্প এবং ক্ষুদ্র ও মাঝারি শিল্প অবহেলিত হতে হতে  ক্রমশ বিলুপ্তির পথে এগোচ্ছিল। মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায় পরিচালিত সরকার গত ছয় বছর ধরে বাংলার ঐতিহ্যবাহী হস্তশিল্প ও তাঁত শিল্পের হৃত গৌরব ফিরিয়ে আনতে একাধিক উদ্যোগ নিয়েছেন।

বিশ্ব বাংলা ব্র্যান্ড

বিশ্ব বাংলা মুখ্যমন্ত্রীর নিজের সৃষ্টি। এই ব্র্যান্ডটি বর্তমানে রাজ্যের হ্যান্ডলুম ও হস্তশিল্পকে পুনরুদ্ধার করেছে।  মঞ্জুসা ব্র্যান্ডের আওতায় পশ্চিমবঙ্গ হস্তশিল্প উন্নয়ন কো-অপারেটিভ  তাদের পণ্য বিক্রি করে এবং তন্তুজ এর অধীনে পশ্চিমবঙ্গ রাজ্য হ্যান্ডলুম তাঁতি কো-অপারেটিভ সোসাইটি তাদের পণ্য বিক্রি করে।

শিল্পীরা যাতে তাদের তৈরি জিনিস বিক্রি করতে পারেন এবং আরও অর্ডার পেতে পারেন সেজন্য রাজ্যের বিভিন্ন জায়গায় নিয়মিত মেলা ও হাটের আয়োজন করা হচ্ছে। রাজ্যের বিভিন্ন জায়গায় বিশ্ব বাংলা আউটলেট খোলা হয়েছে। আরও আউটলেট সহ কলকাতায় একটি বিশ্ব বাংলা শপিং মল খোলার পরিকল্পনা রয়েছে।

ক্ষুদ্র ও মাঝারি শিল্পের গতি

স্বাভাবিকভাবেই, বাংলার হস্তশিল্প ও তাঁত প্রস্তুতকারকরা এখন ভালোভাবে ব্যবসা করছে। এখন, তারা তাদের ব্যবসা চালিয়ে যাওয়ার পাশাপাশি পরবর্তী প্রজন্মের মধ্যে তাদের এই দক্ষতা প্রসার করতেও সমানভাবে আগ্রহী।

 

Pre-Puja Exposition showcases Bengal’s artisans in Delhi

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Setting up the festive mood ahead of Durga Puja, a nearly two week-long exhibition to showcase an array of exquisite and exclusive handloom and handicrafts creations of master weavers and crafts persons of rural Bengal was opened in the national Capital last week.

The initiative is being supported by the Departments of MSME & Textiles, Tourism and Information & Cultural Affairs of the State Government.

The 5th edition of the ‘Bengal Pre-Puja Exposition’, is being organised by the Office of the Resident Commissioner, Government of West Bengal, from September 17 – 29, at Handloom Haat, Janpath.

Around 50 artisans from various districts of West Bengal are participating in the exposition which is aimed at promoting the rich and glorious tradition of Bengal handicrafts and handloom and also ensuring commercial benefits to the crafts persons and weavers before the festive season.

A special attraction will be the representation of the rural craft hubs, being developed in ten locations across the state by the Department of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Textiles (MSME&T) in partnership with UNESCO.

 

দিল্লির প্রাক্-পুজো প্রদর্শনীতে বাংলার শিল্পীরা

সামনেই দুর্গা পুজো, চারদিকে উৎসবের মরশুম। এই উপলক্ষে দিল্লিতে একটি দু-দপ্তাহ ব্যাপী প্রদর্শনীর আয়োজন করা হয়েছে। সেখানে বাংলার তাঁতিদের হাতে তৈরি সূক্ষ্ম কারুশিল্প, তন্তু সামগ্রী এবং হস্তশিল্প প্রদর্শিত হবে। রাজধানীতে গত সপ্তাহে শুরু হয়েছে এই প্রদর্শনী।

রাজ্য ক্ষুদ্র ও মাঝারি শিল্প এবং বস্ত্র (টেক্সটাইল) দপ্তর এবং তথ্য ও সংস্কৃতি দপ্তরের উদ্যোগে এই পদক্ষেপ নেওয়া হয়েছে।

রাজ্য সরকারের তরফে দিল্লির জনপথে হ্যান্ডলুম হাটে ১৭-২৯ সেপ্টেম্বর ‘বাংলা প্রাক্-পুজো প্রদর্শনী’-র আয়োজন করা হয়েছে। এটি এই প্রদর্শনীর পঞ্চম বর্ষ।

পশ্চিমবঙ্গের বিভিন্ন জেলা থেকে প্রায় ৫০ জন শিল্পী এই এক্সিবিশনে অংশগ্রহণ করবে। বাংলার ঐতিহ্যবাহী কারুকাজ, হস্তশিল্প ও তাঁতের ঐতিহ্যকে তুলে ধরা এবং উৎসবের মরসুমে বাংলার তাঁতিদের আর্থিক সহযোগিতা নিশ্চিত করাই এই প্রদর্শনীর প্রধান লক্ষ্য।

বিশেষ আকর্ষণ হল সারা রাজ্য জুড়ে প্রায় ১০টি জায়গায় রুরাল ক্রাফট হাব তৈরি হচ্ছে। রাজ্য ক্ষুদ্র ও মাঝারি শিল্প এবং বস্ত্র (টেক্সটাইল) দপ্তর ইউনেসকোর সঙ্গে পার্টনারশিপ করে এগুলি তৈরি করছে।

 

WB Govt to help artisans with export of handicrafts

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The Bengal government is planning to boost export of handicrafts and provide artisans with direct access to export. The state will hold training workshops on export at the handicrafts fair. Over 3,500 artisans are likely to participate in the workshops.

The state’s micro, small and medium entrepreneurs (MSME), along with the textile department that is hosting the fair, has tied up with the Federation of Indian Exports organizations (FIEO) to train artisans. The Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also wanted to set up a mall to showcase the handicrafts.

Officials said that Bengal had exported handicrafts worth around Rs 500 crore in the last financial year.

Rajiva Sinha, secretary of MSME department, said, “This year’s fair is expected to be a major success. Last year, goods worth Rs 18 crore were sold.“

“The aim is to promote ex port of handicrafts and allied products from Bengal. FIEO officials will help and train artisans. We will teach them how to start exports and the processes required along with export documentation,“ said Debdatta Nandwani, deputy director general of FIEO’s eastern zone.

 

Image courtesy: The Hindu

West Bengal State Handicrafts Fair begins at Milan Mela

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West Bengal State Handicrafts Fair, 2015 – one of the largest handicraft fairs in India – was inaugurated by the Minister for Industry, Finance and Commerce, Dr Amit Mitra today at Milan Mela grounds.

Minister for Small and Medium Enterprises, Mr Swapan Debnath was also present on the occasion.

The fair grounds will be open to the public from 1 PM – 8:30 PM daily.

More than 3500 handicraft artists are participating in this annual fair organised by the Department of Small and Medium Enterprises, West Bengal Government. The fair will be held till December 13.

West Bengal Government has instituted credit cards, modelled after Kisan Credit Cards, for handicraft artisans in the State. Skill development training will also be provided to them by the Federation of India Export Organization so that the manufactured products may be of export quality.

Through the credit cards, the artisans can take a maximum loan of Rs 50,000 and once they repay the loan, more amounts will be approved.

Bengal artefacts huge draw at London Design Festival

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Exquisite artefacts from West Bengal with long histories such as ‘jamdani’, ‘muslin’, ‘kantha’ and ‘balaposh’ were a major draw in the London Design Festival.

The artefacts included the ‘Indo-Portuguese shawl’, which draws on a long history of colonialism in Bengal and a confluence of cultures. The seven artefacts displayed under the ‘Biswa Bangla’ initiative showcased the best of the state’s handloom and handicrafts sector.

“We got an excellent response. We tested the waters here, and received many inquiries for regular supplies. Biswa Bangla is now in the process of opening a store in Piccadilly to scale up our efforts,”, Rajiva Sinha, principal secretary of the state’s department of textiles said.

Described as an initiative that eliminates ‘middlemen’ and distributes all profits among traditional craftspersons associated with it, Biswa Bangla achieved a revenue of Rs 15 crore in its first year and is on target to achieve a revenue of Rs 25 crore with a larger pool of craftspersons.

Besides stores in West Bengal and New Delhi, it will be the first time that any state government will have such stores outside India, officials attending the London Design Festival said. Besides London, there are plans to open a store in China.

7,000 traditional craftspersons are associated with Biswa Bangla, producing 5,400 products, many of whom have long histories and were part of international trade during the colonial era. Some products are due to be displayed at the Victoria & Albert Museum next year.

The products on display included ‘patachitra’, or scrolls on which mythological or epic stories are painted in a sequence, and masks from south Dinajpur and Bankura, made from bamboo, wood and clay.