1,300 artisans get craft, banking, e-commerce lessons at ODOP training programme
This year, 10-day training programmes for zari-zardozi, chikankari, pottery, tailoring, metal carving, wood carving and more were conducted across districts.
Over 1,300 beneficiaries of the Vishwakarma Shram Samman Yojana attended an ODOP (One District One Product) training programme that concluded at the UP Institute of Design and Research (UPIDR) in Lucknow on Tuesday.
Jitendra Singh, the minister of state for science and technology and the chief guest, was presented with a number of handcrafted mementos made by artisans from across U.P.
UPIDR director Pranjal Yadav said trainees were not only taught about crafts, but also banking, e-commerce and how to navigate the market. “ODOP training programmes provide for training, tool kits, and bank loans, and even help the artisans keep track of national and international trends and influences to help them keep up with the times,” he added.
This year, 10-day training programmes for zari-zardozi, chikankari, pottery, tailoring, metal carving, wood carving and more were conducted across districts.
Singh said the Vishwakarma scheme ensured that future generations of artisans continued the family legacy without the plight of an uncertain income. “The VSSY and the MUDRA (Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency) schemes have created an environment for artisans wherein they can take significant loans without having to put up any collaterals...” he added. Singh further stressed that India had taken strides in empowering the artisan communities as local handicraft products had reached overseas.
UPIDR chairperson Kshipra Shukla praised the minister for boosting the morale of the hundreds of artisans who were in attendance at the programme.
