EPCH holds orientation programme for handicraft artisans

Looking at the great demand of Himachali products in global markets, the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) has organised an orientation programme for artisans atSujanpur of Hamirpur district, Himachal Pradesh, on Monday.

This is aimed at enhancing their skills through structured curriculum based skilling programmes, design development.

The EPCH has been performing multifarious activities not onlyto ensure the overall growth of handicraft sector but also working for the upliftment of artisans and craft persons engaged in the handicrafts sector in different craft clusters of the country particularly women belonging to weaker sections of the society.

"From time to time, workshops, seminars and entrepreneurship and design development programmes are being organised by EPCH so that artisans who are producing exquisite crafts in interior parts of the country can be provided design input to enable them to produce the products as per the prevalent designs and trends required in the international markets," EPCH Director General Rakesh Kumar said.

Kumar said creative minds of the craftsmen of Himachal Pradesh have given birth to an astonishing range of handicrafts.Himachal Pradesh has a lot to offer. Stones, metal statues to dolls, pottery, paintings, rugs, carpets, shawls and jewellery are the exquisite crafts of the state.

Shilpi Baekta, Sub Divisional Magistrate, Sujanpur, Himachal Pradesh, also spoke on the occasion and encouraged the participants to undertake entrepreneurship.