The World Opinion

Tag: artisans

  • ODOP scheme in Uttar Pradesh | Crafting a revival

    Two flower-shaped silver items, their easy and stylish central design speckled with lapis lazuli blue—the gulabi meenakari cufflinks and an identical brooch, the latter with a peacock motif, had been selected with care prior to High Minister Narendra Modi talented them to US President Joe Biden and US first girl Jill Biden on the G-7 summit in Germany in overdue June. Then there have been the items of black pottery, polished to a subdued gleam and taking a look as outstanding as objets d’artwork from the palace of an historical potentate. The recipient used to be Eastern PM Fumio Kishida. Others leaders like French president Emmanuel Macron, Italian premier Mario Draghi and German chancellor Olaf Scholz were given ornate zari zardozi embroidered packing containers, marble inlay desk tops and hand-crafted tea units. The golden thread that stitches those treasures in combination is they had been all created completely by means of Uttar Pradesh’s artisans, operating beneath Leader Minister Yogi Adityanath’s bold programme to restore conventional craft—the ODOP (One District One Product) scheme. It has no longer handiest given a fillip to ignored crafts, the scheme has additionally set the tone for a gentle build up in exports from UP. It comes beneath the MSME (micro, small and medium enterprises) division.

    Two flower-shaped silver items, their easy and stylish central design speckled with lapis lazuli blue—the gulabi meenakari cufflinks and an identical brooch, the latter with a peacock motif, had been selected with care prior to High Minister Narendra Modi talented them to US President Joe Biden and US first girl Jill Biden on the G-7 summit in Germany in overdue June. Then there have been the items of black pottery, polished to a subdued gleam and taking a look as outstanding as objets d’artwork from the palace of an historical potentate. The recipient used to be Eastern PM Fumio Kishida. Others leaders like French president Emmanuel Macron, Italian premier Mario Draghi and German chancellor Olaf Scholz were given ornate zari zardozi embroidered packing containers, marble inlay desk tops and hand-crafted tea units. The golden thread that stitches those treasures in combination is they had been all created completely by means of Uttar Pradesh’s artisans, operating beneath Leader Minister Yogi Adityanath’s bold programme to restore conventional craft—the ODOP (One District One Product) scheme. It has no longer handiest given a fillip to ignored crafts, the scheme has additionally set the tone for a gentle build up in exports from UP. It comes beneath the MSME (micro, small and medium enterprises) division.

    Graphic: Tanmoy Chakraborty

    All this task has observed UP’s exports build up by means of a whopping 80 according to cent in price prior to now 5 years. Historically-made ODOP merchandise have performed a number one function—70 according to cent of the goods exported from the state come beneath its ambit, in keeping with state executive data. In 2017-18, the price of UP’s exports used to be Rs 88,967.4 crore; it’s Rs 1,56, 897.2 crore for 2021-22. Even all over the pandemic, the state’s exports noticed a upward thrust of 30 according to cent, in large part pushed by means of (each the net and offline) sale of ODOP merchandise. The scheme, began in 2018, has no longer handiest safe the livelihood of artisans, but in addition gave them the rationale and trust to restore conventional crafts that had been nearing extinction. It additionally stopped many in their practitioners from migrating to different states.

    In Azamgarh’s Nizamabad the town, over 200 artisans now make pottery. Their numbers had fallen to twenty prior to ODOP took impact

    Sohit Prajapati, a 42-year-old black pottery artisan founded in Azamgarh who previous bought bhel-puri in Mumbai, returned in 2017 to his wheel. At one level, Sohit pondered a transfer again to Mumbai, however stayed on when call for for his ware, and earnings, shot up after he registered with the ODOP scheme. Beneath it, Sohit were given monetary support and lend a hand in promoting his merchandise on nationwide and world platforms. Sohit says his source of revenue has tripled prior to now 4 years. This present day, he has orders from a number of nations, together with the USA and UAE. In Azamgarh’s Nizamabad the town, over 200 artisans are actually engaged in making black pottery. Their numbers had dwindled to twenty prior to the ODOP scheme took impact.

    The turning level

    Manoj Vishwakarma, a 36-year-old Varanasi-based sixth-generation gulabi meenakari—a GI-tagged artwork shape—artisan tells india nowadays that when seeing many fellow artisans quitting, he virtually determined to observe go well with. From a nadir in 2018, when gulabi meenakari paintings virtually flooring to a halt in Varanasi, the turnaround within the lives of artistes like Vishwakarma used to be miraculous. Right here, too, the credit score is going to ODOP. Vishwakarma’s industry simply took off after he were given monetary support and steering from mavens via ODOP. “Previous, we used to do gulabi meenakari on merchandise like hand-made peacocks, and idols of gods. Via mavens, we were given to know the way to style cufflinks,” he says with delight.

    The ODOP scheme used to be introduced by means of Yogi Adityanath on January 24, 2018 to make product-specific conventional hubs in every of UP’s 75 districts. Its purpose is the safety, enlargement and revival of native handicraft and experience, thus combating migration to city centres as a result of the loss of employment. In all, 62 conventional crafts had been known.

    Consistent with Navneet Sehgal, upload­itional leader secretary, MSME, “ODOP is reviving conventional handicraft and has helped build up the state’s exports. We now have the biggest selection of MSMEs within the nation, the bulk within the unorganised sector.” Sehgal provides that if it is carpet weaving, wooden carving or leather-based paintings, artisans operating in those outdated industries are being inspired to get on board on-line platforms to be able to acquire publicity to a much broader marketplace. Commonplace Facility Centres (CFCs), which give staff with a variety of lend a hand, are to be arrange in all districts.

    Sunil Kumar, joint commissioner, ODOP, explains: “The federal government supplies a 25 according to cent subsidy on loans allotted beneath this scheme and trains artisans. CFCs are taking part in the most important function within the building of those merchandise. A CFC has the entire amenities required for grading, packing and storing ODOP merchandise beneath one roof. We now have 5 centres, 28 extra are sanctioned. Ernst & Younger are undertaking experts of the scheme and feature performed research of all districts/ merchandise. They counsel inventions to artisans in order that their merchandise acquire traction on world platforms.”

    The state executive signed an MoU with e-commerce website online Flipk­artwork in 2020 to promote ODOP merchandise at the website online, having previous tied up with Amazon. ODOP officers say that merchandise value Rs 1,600 crore were bought via Flipkart prior to now two years. ODOP additionally has its personal on-line platform to promote merchandise. The UP Handicrafts Dev­e­lopment and Advertising Company has introduced an e-marketplace,www.odopmart.com, to promote them. ODOP has tied up with the High quality Council of India to standardise high quality in addition to with the Nationwide Institute of Type Generation to give a boost to design. For Yogi Adityanath, “ODOP is a logo of UP’s heritage.” The manager minister makes it some degree to present reward hampers of ODOP merchandise to big visitors so far as imaginable.

    The ODOP scheme is a luck, however some districts desire a leg-up. The up leather-based trade’s issues will have to be fastened too

    Ashfaq Ali, a resident of Sitapur, who works as an artisan at a CFC, talks of the way he used to be previous in Panipat, making cotton dhurries. However upon getting a task right here, he’s staying put. His colleague Karimullah, who spent 8 years in Panipat, says, “I got here to Sitapur all over the lockdown. After a couple of weeks, I were given the similar form of employment right here.” Hayat Kausar, secretary of CFC Sitapur, claims that such centres are serving to artisans to stick on. “Sitapur is known for dhurries. For making dhurries, we’ve got complicated machines just like the tornado for doubling the threads, Jacquard for designing and tufting for the general design,” he says.

    Although the ODOP scheme has taken off wonderfully, it’s no longer an unqualified luck, since some districts nonetheless desire a leg-up. Then there’s UP’s all-important leather-based trade. Although export of leather-based items is projected as the most important a part of ODOP, the trade founded in and round Kanpur is going through more than one demanding situations. Those vary from a paucity of professional labour to loss of design functions and the unavailability of high quality and inexpensive equipment. Sehgal says, “We’re fixing the problems of tannery house owners and connecting them extra with ODOP consumers. As leather-based is in massive call for, they are able to make up for the losses all over the pandemic.” Seh­gal additionally mentions the newly introduced OSOP (one station one product) plan at the traces of ODOP. Beneath this, railway stations throughout UP will function promotional hubs, showcasing the state’s ODOP scheme. As a part of this initiative, ODOP merchandise of respective districts can be displayed on the most-visited platform of all railway stations in that exact district. As an example, if a teach is passing via Ayodhya district, all its railway stations will show the ODOP merchandise of Ayodhya. On this manner, the ones districts that also want lend a hand within the promotion in their merchandise can be coated, provides Sehgal. The beautiful craftsmanship on show in ODOP merchandise deserve each give a boost to. n

  • J&Okay handicrafts: And the looms fall silent

    Part a century prior to Thomas Moore’s Oriental romance, Lalla Rookh (1817), extolled the wonderful thing about Kashmir as a paradise on earth to the West, its handicraft, particularly textiles and shawls, had conquered Eu capitals. Everybody was once bewitched via Pashmina and Shahtoosh shawls—Napoleon gave them to empress Josephine and Queen Victoria was once a lifelong devotee. Gentle and cushy, heat and woven in beautiful patterns and designs, Kashmiri shawls was synonymous with the luxurious and luxury of the best wool: ‘Cashmere’. Shawls had been the top class articles from Kashmir, however intricately carved walnut picket, willow wicker craft and carpets had been additionally prized.

    Unfold alongside the banks of the Jhelum, Srinagar has lengthy been house to Kashmir’s best artisans who operated out of karkhanas (workshops) in residential homes alongside the slender lanes of the outdated town. Sadly, descendants of the ones artisans who left an indelible mark on global model at the moment are being compelled to surrender their conventional craft and shift to unusual jobs, for all they have got to turn for generations of trustworthy paintings is penury.

    The artwork of weaving Pashmina is intricate and time-consuming, requiring professional artisans who paintings on thread as skinny as 10-16 microns— thinner than human hair

    In Eidgah Narwara in Srinagar, artisans from some 400 karkhanas as soon as educated and labored in each and every section of Kashmiri craft, starting from weaving to designing of shawls. From a naqqash (dressmaker) to an artisan, the world was once a hive of ability. Until a couple of many years again, citizens would have their kids practice of their ancestors’ footsteps, as wages had been respectable. Ahtisham Hussain joined a handloom workshop after quitting faculty in 1989. To begin with, he would weave shawls on a handloom out of the subtle and cushy yarn of the arena’s best and costliest wool, Shahtoosh. Later, after industry in Shahtoosh was once banned, he used the Pashmina wool.

    Ahtisham Hussain deserted the positive artwork of weaving pashminas. He now works at a sanitary warehouse; (Photograph: Yasir Iqbal)

    The artwork of weaving Shahtoosh or Pashmina is intricate and time-con­su­ming, requiring professional artisans who need to paintings on thread as skinny as 10 microns to 16 microns—a lot thinner than a strand of human hair (70 microns). Procured from the underfur of the high-altitude Chiru antelope discovered within the Tib­e­tan plateau, Shahtoosh was once all the time exorbitantly priced, one thing best the plutocracy may just have the funds for.

    However Chirus are endangered animals and Shahtoosh industry was once banned globally in 1975 beneath the Conference on World Industry in Endangered Species (CITES), to which India is a signatory. The antelope could also be indexed in Agenda I of India’s Natural world (Coverage) Act. An to begin with reluctant J&Okay executive led via Farooq Abdullah prolonged the ban in 2000, hitting the livelihood of about 15,000 other people. In 2017, a parliamentary panel led via Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury beneficial lifting the ban, suggesting as an alternative the “conservation and breeding of chiru goats”, with a purpose to keep the livelihood of Shahtoosh weavers.

    Rauf Ahmad Qureshi works on a loom at his space in Srinagar; (Photograph: Yasir Iqbal)

    Pashmina wool is sourced from the Changthang goats in Ladakh. From uncooked wool to a completed scarf is a procedure as labour-intensive because it’s skilful: involving dehairing, scouring, bleaching, spinning, weaving, dyeing, completing, cleansing and embroidery. An unique Pashmina fetches 1000’s of bucks within the world marketplace.

    But, deplorably, the very males who toil unceasingly to create those achingly stunning items are underpaid, stuck in a cycle of poverty and increasingly more pushed to go away the career. In consequence, crafts honed over centuries are inching against extinction. Hussain, who’s 52-years-old and a father of 3, regrets taking over the craft. “My kids would weep after they left for college as a result of I may just no longer have the funds for a packet of biscuits or snacks for them,” he says. Hussain has now give up the industry and signed up as a salesperson at a sanitaryware store. As he runs his palms via a salt-and-pepper beard, he turns out a content material guy—he now earns thrice up to he did making shawls.

    Consistent with Hussain, his craft as a weaver introduced him best Rs 300, whilst unskilled labourers earn above Rs 700 an afternoon and get social safety advantages. “As a weaverI may just no longer have the funds for my kids’s tuition charges. Others become profitable out of our laborious paintings, whilst we turn out to be poorer via the day.” Confronted with an irremediable state of affairs, artisans steer clear of passing their talents to their offspring. Many, like Hussain, may not even let their kids set eyes at the looms that when sustained their households.

    An respectable report cites that manufacturing of home made carpets, kani shawls, Khatamband woodwork, namda rugs, papier mache items and walnut picket carving is dealing with an acute manpower crunch. On the other hand, since Kashmir handicrafts is an unorganised sector, correct knowledge about artisans quitting the field is difficult to return via. Prof Imtiyaz-ul-Haq, head of the economics division at Kashmir College, explains that Kashmir is a labour poor financial system and virtually 800,000 migrant staff come right here for paintings once a year. Because of this, labour wages have shot up, leading to low-paid professional artisans quitting their trades and taking over menial jobs, equivalent to development labour. This has led to a decline in manufacturing and export of Kashmiri handicrafts.

    As an example, nonagenarian Ghulam Mohammad and his 4 sons did walnut carving, however no longer a unmarried member of the following era have taken up the task. As an alternative, they have got moved to the West Asia to paintings and at the moment are prompting their fathers to give up the craft. “Our kids weren’t prepared to permit us to hold on with our karkhana,” says Zahoor Ahmad, mentioning the cause of quitting the industry. But even so low wages, Hussain attributes the secure attenuation to a ‘sluggish poisoning’—eye issues and orthopaedic problems are not unusual afflictions amongst weavers and embroiderers. “This industry sucks the blood of craftsmen, however all we get is exploitation,” he says.

    Whilst Europe continues to be enamoured of Kashmiri handicraft, it additionally has a big marketplace in West Asia and China. Over 900,000 persons are related to the industry, together with 280,000 artisans registered with the federal government’s han­­di­­crafts and handlooms division—66,000 are weavers, the remainder are engaged in walnut picket carving, papier mache craft, crewel embroidery and different trades. However right here, too, there may be drawing near gloom—annual industry has fallen steeply, with overseas exports dwindling prior to now decade. From just about Rs 1,700 crore in 2013, annual exports have dipped to Rs 563 crore in 2021. Whilst officers blame the pandemic for the precipitous drop, exporters and artisans level to a extra insidious foe: machine-made professional­d­ucts bought as ‘authentic’ Kashmir handicrafts. Thus, an ersatz ‘Pashmina scarf’ made on a mechanical device and priced at Rs 3,000 is bought to unsuspecting shoppers, devaluing the Pashmina emblem. Consistent with businessmen, in a foreign country shoppers now take a look at the professional­duct in laboratories for genuineness. Mill-made merchandise have additionally put many craftsmen—from girls who would convert fibres into positive yarn on a charkha (spinning wheel) to weavers—out of jobs.

    Rauf Ahmad Qureshi, founder, Kashmir Pashmina Karigar Union, who nonetheless makes use of girls staff for generating home made shawls, says mach­ines have ruined their industry. “One mechanical device spindle spins 200 grams of Pashmina fibre an afternoon or extra, with 10-20 in line with cent nylon. Its yarn is reasonable, costing Rs 8,000 to Rs 20,000 a kg,” he says. However the thread/ yarn comprised of the wool on a conventional charkha, says Qureshi, is 100 in line with cent natural and priced at Rs 40,000-50,000 a kg. “The yarn produced on spinners is woven on energy looms with a capability to make 100 shawls an afternoon. It’s bought as ‘Kashmir Pashmina’, threatening our legacy. They must have a machine-made label to steer clear of dishonest shoppers,” he says. The union has been asking government to close unlawful machines and to assist advertise nationwide and world consciousness of the GI (Geographical Indication) tag that was once secured for Pashmina merchandise in 2008.

    Since a GI tag identifies a novel manufactured from a area, its enforcement is anticipated to weed out counterfeits. The goods will likely be examined in a laboratory and authentic pieces will likely be labelled with a Radio Frequency Id (RFID) tag. Seven Kashmir handicrafts have secured a GI, together with Pashmina, walnut picket carving, papier mache craft, sozni craft, kani scarf, carpets and Khatamband.

    Rauf Wadera, advisor with Tahafuzz, an organisation representing Kashmiri artisans, says the popularity has enabled better access into international markets. However now, the important thing worry must be offering artisans with social and financial safety. “A separate labour coverage coverage must be there to make sure minimal wages for artisans,” he says. “A benevolent fund for contingency wishes, medical health insurance, provision for kids’s training and provide of uncooked fabrics at an even value also are wanted.”

    President of the Kashmir Chamber of Trade and Business (KCCI) Sheikh Ashiq was once among Kashmiri trade leaders who met High Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on April 5. He submitted a memorandum in the hunt for exemption of taxes on all handicraft merchandise. His proposals come with putting in particular manufacturing centres to push the trade against being an organised sector and thus support the lot of artisans.

    Tariq Ahmad Zargar, director, handicrafts and handlooms Kashmir, says artisans are benefitting from the Karkhandar scheme, introduced in 2021, that targets to restore languishing crafts via making improvements to artisans’ talents and inculcating a spirit of entrepreneurship in them. The federal government has incentivised the programme via providing Rs 2,000 a month to each and every trainee artisan. Later, each and every certified artisan is paid Rs 50,000 in two instalments. “We’re operating on branding, packaging and creation of recent designs for world marketplace necessities. But even so, we’re focusing on get entry to to new markets, particularly america, which stays untapped,” says Zargar.

    Confidently, the scheme would prevent probably the most global’s best craftsmen from being compelled to relinquish their industry because of sheer need. n