Link handicrafts sector with MNREGA to address labour crunch

NEW DELHI: To address labour shortage in the handicrafts sector, the EPCH has suggested that it be linking with the employment guarantee scheme, MNREGA.

"We have submitted a proposal to the government in the Board of Trade meeting to merge handicrafts with the MNREGA scheme as it will help in addressing the issue of shortage of labour," Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) Executive Director Rakesh Kumar said.

About 70 lakh people are employed in the industry. However, majority of them are seasonal or part-time workers.

The council said that there are a number of clusters in various states across the country. After this scheme was launched, many artisans who were engaged in these clusters preferred to work under this MNREGA.

"This has caused temporary shortage in the industry. Thus, linking this programme with the sector will help in meeting the labour requirement," Kumar said.

Recently, the Rural Development Ministry has agreed to integrate the workers in sericulture sector with MNREGA.

MNREGA, which was launched in 2006, guarantees 100-day employment to the poor in rural areas every year.

The principle aim of the scheme is to provide employment to people who do not get jobs during the off-season periods and by linking the scheme to textiles sector these people will also be trained.

EPCH said it has also submitted a proposal for setting up of a Handicrafts and Carpets Skill Development Council to the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC).

"We have submitted our plan to set up the skill development council to the NSDC and the proposal is in advance stages," Kumar said, adding that the programme would be funded by both the government as well as the private sector.

Under the programme, about 340 institutions will be set up which would be managed by NGOs, public and private parties.

The role of the EPCH would be to set parameters and standards for these institutes at par with the international standards to provide training to these workers.

"By setting up these institutions, we target to provide training to 32 lakh workers in the next eight years," Kumar said.

Further, he said, Textiles Minister Kavuru Sambasiva Rao has given its approval for setting up of a warehouse in Latin America (Uruguay) to maintain an inventory of Indian handicrafts there.

"The minister has assured the exporters of all his assistance to open the warehouse for handicraft products in the region at a total cost of about Rs 100 crore," Kumar said.

Besides, there would be a showroom which will help in boosting the exports to the region.