Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Hon’ble Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Electronics and Information Technology visited the traditional and heritage crafts cluster of Dimapur, Nagaland at Sovima Village, during a two-day official visit to Nagaland.

Dimapur, Nagaland, is known for its traditional arts and crafts. The city of Dhansiri is located near the Dhansiri River. Because bamboo grows abundantly here, artists have learnt to create a variety of ornamental and functional products from it. If markets are expanded and demand is enhanced, there is still a lot of room for more jobs to be generated in this area.

Ms. Jesmina Zeliang, Executive Member, and Mr. Krishan Kumar, CEO, both from the Handicrafts and Carpet Sector Skill Council, showed him around the Training Centre, where more than 600 artisans and weavers have been trained through an industry-based training programme and have since been connected with the industry.

Ms. Jesmina Zeliang highlighted the need of industry collaborations in taking the region’s cultural traditions and heritage crafts to the next level in order to ensure long-term employment and promote the country’s export of handcrafted products. She also underlined the necessity for a Centre of Excellence where artisans may interact directly with stakeholders, with the 'stakeholders’ job being to connect them to national and international markets.

Hon’ble Minister of State Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar stated that the Ministry will place a greater emphasis on traditional skilling, re-skilling, and up-skilling, as well as collaborating with industry to help skilled craftspeople gain market access.

He also advised that more cluster-based training programs with industry connections, self-employment options, and a micro-entrepreneurial approach be implemented and expanded for the overall benefit of the region’s traditional heritage crafts.

The Sector Skill Council also aims to establish a Centre of Excellence in various traditional crafts clusters of Nagaland for skilling, re-skilling, and up-skilling the existing artisans and weavers, starting with Sovima Village, Dimapur, Nagaland, with the goal of promoting and developing traditional handloom and handicrafts products.

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