Trade, Imports, Exports for MSMEs: Artisans and craftsmen showcasing their products at the government’s on-going Hunar Haat programme, which aims to encourage and promote their products, will now be able to sell their products to government buyers as well. The government’s public procurement marketplace — Government e-Marketplace (Gem) will now list products of these sellers to be sold to government organisations, departments, and public sector units, according to Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi. Inaugurating the Hunar Haat in Ranchi on Sunday, the Minority Affairs ministry’s statement quoting the minister said, “ministry has started the process to register these artisans and their indigenous products on GeM.”
Over 3 lakh artisans, craftsmen, culinary experts and people associated with them including a large number of women artisans have been provided employment and employment opportunities through Hunar Haats in the past three years, Naqvi said. GeM currently has over 3.4 lakh sellers and service providers out of which 75,658 are micro and small sellers and service providers (MSE). These MSE sellers contribute over 53 per cent of the order value. The total orders made on the GeM portal so far stood at over 35.71 lakh, according to the data available on the portal.
The Minority Affairs ministry and Tribal Affairs ministry are working together to provide artisans access to international markets for their products. The Hunar Haat organised in Delhi last month, which was visited by PM Modi, had over 17 lakh domestic and international visitors. Naqvi said multiple export promotion councils have also shown interest to offer international markets to the products of artisans and craftsmen. To ensure the packaging of these products is attractive, artisans are being trained by the Indian Packaging Institute to enhance methods of packaging. The 21st Hunar Haat in Ranchi will be followed by Chandigarh, Gurugram, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Dehradun, Patna etc. hosting such programmes.
