NEW DELHI: Sixty-eight companies and five individuals have been honoured by the Government yesterday for their outstanding contribution towards India’s handicraft exports. The Handicrafts Export Awards recognize the excellent export performance of these companies during the year 2012 – ’13, in various handicraft product categories. The Awards also honour individual stalwarts of the sector, with three life-time achievement awards and two special commendations.
The Awards have been distributed by Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Union Minister of State for Textiles (I/C) and Shri Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (I/C) & Parliamentary Affairs, at a very colourful ceremony at Hotel Ashok, New Delhi yesterday evening.
Speaking on the occasion, the Textiles Minister appreciated the wide and varied range of handicrafts produced in different regions of the country which are already being exported to different parts of the world. He said that although exporters are doing an excellent job of achieving high rate of growth, there is big scope for improvement. He exhorted the exporters to develop new lines, new products and to give emphasis on skills and good quality to make products more competitive in world market. He assured that the Ministry of Textiles will extend all possible support in this direction.
The Awardees
M/s C. L. Gupta Exports Ltd, Moradabad received Top Export Award (Trophy) for their performance in “All Handicrafts” category. In addition to this, trophies for Top Export Award were given under 23 product categories. The categories include Art Metalwares, EPNS Handicrafts, Woodwares, Zari Handicrafts, Laces & Embroidery, India Items, Textile based Handicrafts, Fashion Jewellery, Marble Alabaster& Crafted Stones, Papier Mache, Iron Crafts, Jute Handicrafts, Glass Artwares, Ceramic Artwares, Aluminium Artwares, Aggarbatties, Handmade Paper, Leather Items, Eco-friendly crafts, miscellaneous crafts. Top Export Awards were given to woman entrepreneurs also, from each of four regions of the country.
41 merit certificates were given for top exports in different product categories. Hat Trick trophy was given to three companies for excellence in exports of EPNS handicrafts, Iron crafts and aluminium artwares.
Shri Amar Chand Ahuja of M/s Gobindram Ramchand, Rajasthan; Shri Ravish Khanna of M/s Sunbeam Silver Art Industries from Moradabad and Shri S.P. Dadoo of M/s Blue Art Flower Vases Works, Khurja Uttar Pradesh received Lift Time Achievement awards for their outstanding contribution to the promotion of handicraft exports.
Shri Nazmul Islam of M/s Fine Finish Handicrafts, Moradabad and Shri Rajan Puri of Roots India, New Delhi received Special Commendations for their services to the Indian handicrafts sector.
Launch of Handicrafts & Carpet Sector Skill Council
Coinciding with the Awards, a new institution, Handicrafts & Carpet Sector Skill Council has been launched by the Chief Guest, Shri Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (I/C) & Parliamentary Affairs. The institution will promote skill development among artisans, craft persons and workers at grassroots level. This would enable them to adopt latest techniques and become more productive.
While launching the Council, the Skill Development Minister highlighted the crucial role of skill development in national development. He pointed out that the percentage of our workforce that is skilled is very low as compared to that in China, UK, USA, Japan and Germany. The Minister said that this shows the great need for skill development in all sectors of the economy, so that India becomes competitive in production of good quality products. Skill India is necessary for the success of ‘Make In India’, Shri Rudy said. He added that the Government has taken up skill development as a mission, as an integral part of our national enterprise.
Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Member of Parliament, Shri S.K. Panda, Secretary (Textiles) and Shri S.K. Biswas, Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) were also present during the ceremony. Luminaries from the industry, handicrafts exporters and the media too attended.
The Export Awards: A Brief
The Handicrafts Export Awards are organized and given by Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH), an apex Handicrafts body, to recognize the leading exporters of the country. They are a part of EPCH’s efforts to accelerate the growth of handicrafts exports. The Awards are given away every year.
The Awards were instituted by EPCH in the year 1989, under the supervision, guidance and control of The Office of Development Commissioner (Handicrafts). The goal has been to foster a healthy competition within the exporting community, so as to help ensure steady growth of handicrafts exports.
The 20thExport Awards have been given to 68 companies from different regions and states of the country, based on their performance in the year 2012-13. The selection of companies is done by a Committee headed by Office of Development Commissioner (Handicrafts). The Committee considers the performance of applicants and selects the awardees on the basis of their export performance under respective product categories and regions.
The product categories include Art Metalwares, EPNS Handicrafts, Woodwares, Zari Handicrafts, Laces & Embroidery, India Items, Textile based Handicrafts, Fashion Jewellery, Marble Alabaster & Crafted Stones, Papier Mache, Iron Crafts, Jute Handicrafts, Glass Artwares, Ceramic Artwares, Aluminium Artwares, Aggarbatties, Handmade Paper, Leather Items, Eco-friendly crafts.
Handicrafts exports have been growing at an average annual growth rate of 15% during the last decade. Growth during the current year was 30.80% in rupee terms and 17.55% in dollars terms as compared to the previous year; exports of handicrafts during the year 2013-14 were Rs. 23,504.42 crore.