With the pandemic restrictions being lifted, the Development Commissioner of Handicrafts (DCH), under the Union Ministry of Textiles, has begun conducting Gandhi Shilp Bazaars and Craft Bazaars.
“The last of the exhibitions for this financial year is to conclude on March 13 at the Raja Annamalai Mandram at Esplanade in Chennai. For the coming financial year, we have planned two hold more such bazaars each in Chennai, Puducherry, Hyderabad and Bengaluru,” M. Prabhakaran, Regional Director (Southern Region), DCH, told The Hindu.
He said these exhibitions had been planned around Deepavali, Christmas and Pongal festivals so that buyers would have cash to spend. A total of 100 artisans would participate in each of these bazaars and they would get 100% grant in aid, which would cover their entire TA, DA, stay, food and freight charges. “The Centre would bear the entire amount,” he said.
The DCH planned to conduct crafts bazaars along with registered organisations working with artisans. “In the case of the crafts bazaars, the Centre would contribute only 75% of the grant in aid, the other organisation, which can be an NGO working with craftspersons or a State government organisation, have to contribute the rest,” he added.
At the Raja Annamalai Mandram exhibition-cum-sale, about 100 artisans are exhibiting crafts, including wood-carving items, banana fibre items, terracotta, zari zardosi items, leather goods and Kalamkari.
