Lepakshi to open multi-craft service centre in Hyd

The Andhra Pradesh Handicrafts Development Corporation, Lepakshi, will shortly commission a multi-craft common facility service centre at Hyderabad.

It will also upgrade its existing facility at Bobbili in Vizainagaram for veena making craft. The two projects, to be taken up a cost of Rs 43 lakh, will offer latest infrastructure, machinery and designer assistance to craftsmen working with Lepakshi.

The 4,000 sq ft multi-craft centre being built on a grant from the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Union ministry of textiles, can train about 1,000 craftsmen in a year and is likely to be inaugurated next month. It will organise training programmes in Banjara hand embroidery, Nirmal paintings, silver filigree work, Bobbili veenas and brass metalware

Speaking to Business Standard, B Jayaraj, managing director, Andhra Pradesh Handicrafts Development Corporation, said, "Last year, the corporation sponsored a baseline survey to assess areas of interventions required for the overall development of crafts in the state. Based on the findings of the survey conducted by the Indian Institute of Crafts and Design (IICD), Jaipur, we have planned to organise skill upgrading programmes for five crafts."

Of the 50-odd craft clusters in the state, 25 of them fall in the organised and fast moving segment.

"The training programme will assist the corporation in assessing the skill levels of artisans in knowing how advanced and organised a craft is besides its suitability for international and domestic market," Jayaraj said.

Organisations such as IICD, National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) and Creative Bee, Hyderabad, will be associated with the training programmes.

Lepakshi achieved a sales turnover of Rs 36.18 crore in the last fiscal and hopes to end this fiscal at Rs 38 crore.