125 stalls set up at “Hunar Haat”, Harmu Ground, Ranchi

Shashank Shekhar

Ranchi  ( Jharkhand) : Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on March 1, 2020, said at Ranchi, the Jharkhand Capital, that Modi Government has been working to provide international markets to India’s magnificent indigenous handmade art/crafts. He was inaugurating “Hunar Haat” at Harmu Ground, Harmu Chowk, at Ranchi with Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda.This is for the first time that “Hunar Haat” has been organised in Jharkhand.

This “Hunar Haat” has been organised by Union Minority Affairs Ministry from February 29 to March 8, 2020. This is the 21st “Hunar Haat” of the Union Minority Affairs Ministry.

Munda said that the Tribal Affairs Ministry and Minority Affairs Ministry are working in coordination to provide international market, opportunities, and recognition to India’s traditional art/crafts. “Hunar Haat” is an effective mission which has been ensuring that the common people become a part of mainstream economic development. He said that “Hunar Haat” has been providing market and opportunity to India’s indigenous legacy of handmade art/crafts.

Naqvi said that while on one hand, “Hunar Haat” has ensured “Kaushal Ko Kaam”, on the other hand it has given international recognition to legacy of Indian art/crafts. He said that PM Narendra Modi’s visit to “Hunar Haat” at India Gate Lawns, Rajpath, New Delhi, organised from February 13 to 23, 2020, has given tremendous encouragement to artisans, craftsmen especially women artisans from across the country.

On February 23, in “Mann Ki Baat”, the PM appreciated “Hunar Haat” and artisans, craftsmen and their exquisite indigenous handmade products. PM Modi’s hour long visit to “Hunar Haat” gave a tremendous encouragement and publicity to “Hunar Haat” as the number of visitors increased by more than 60 per cent after his visit. More than 17 lakh visitors, both domestic and international, visited “Hunar Haat” at India Gate Lawns, Rajpath. The visitors encouraged the artisans, craftsmen and also enjoyed traditional delicacies of various states at “Bawarchikhana” section at “Hunar Haat”.

Naqvi said that 125 stalls have been set up at “Hunar Haat” at Ranchi where more than 250 artisans and craftsmen including women artisans from across the country are participating. Artisans have brought with them rare exquisite handmade indigenous products from every corner of the country. The visitors will also enjoy traditional delicacies of various states and cultural programmes to be held daily, he said.

He said that Union Minority Affairs Ministry has started process to register these artisans and their indigenous products on “GeM” (Government e Marketplace). Several export promotion councils have shown interest to provide international markets on largescale for handmade indigenous products of these artisans and craftsmen. Indian Packaging Institute has been providing training to artisans to improve their methods of packaging and to make it more attractive.

The next “Hunar Haat” will be organised at Chandigarh from March 13 to 22,  2020. In the coming days, “Hunar Haat” will be organised in Gurugram, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Dehradun, Patna, Bhopal, Nagpur, Raipur, Puducherry, Amritsar, Jammu, Shimla, Goa, Kochi, Guwahati, and Bhubneshwar,