Several states want to set up 'hunar hubs': Naqvi

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Several states have started working on the Centre's proposal to set up 'hunar hubs', where artisans, craftsmen and culinary experts will be offered training according to modern needs and offered spaces to exhibit and sell their products, Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said here on Sunday.

Naqvi was in Ahmedabad to inaugurate 'Hunar Haat', which has been organised at Sabarmati Riverfront to promote India's indigenous traditional legacy of master artisans and craftsmen.

"We are happy several state governments have started working on the proposal of our ministry to set up 'Hunar Hub'. We have received their proposals and will be funding them. We want to set up a hunar hub in every state, with more than one such hub in bigger states. Some states like Uttar Pradesh, Telangana and Kerala have started work on it," Naqvi told reporters.

The minority affairs ministry has sanctioned 100 hunar hubs across the country.

Naqvi said his ministry is organising hunar haat in different cities to provide platform to artisans and craftsmen as well as traditional culinary experts to showcase their skills and find markets.

It would provide employment to thousands of artisans, including women, he said, adding that several other countries have also shown interest in organising them.

After Ahmedabad, such haats will be organised in Mumbai, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Chandigarh and Indore, among other cities.

Artisans from Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala, Jammu-Kashmir, Jharkhand, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Manipur, Telangana have showcased their handicraft at the haat in Ahmedabad, which will go on till December 15.

The dying art of Tikhu from Uttar Pradesh is a maiden entry along with coconut shell products from Kerala, organisers said.

Traditional dance, music and qawwali will also be organised, they said.

Artisans from all communities are represented here, and the minister said the aim was for inclusive development comprising socio-economic and educational empowerment without discrimination.

Naqvi said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was working for the inclusive growth of the country as "e (empowerment)- messiah".

He said his ministry had given more than 8 lakh people from the minority community jobs and scholarships to around 3.18 crore people.