The Chhattisgarh Handicrafts Development Board (CHDB) whose deal with the online shopping portal Sanpdeal has failed to take off has not given up its online marketing dreams.
CHDB Managing Director Alok Awasthi informed The Pioneer that the Board is working on adapting various strategies to promote online sale of handicrafts by the end of the ongoing financial year 2015-16.
“We have our own website wherein a number of handicraft products mostly bell metals are available for sale. Despite the effort, the response is not as per expectations. Our main aim is to sell the products on a large scale . It will enhance the business,” he said.
Notably, the website of CHDB displays items on Terracotta, Wood Craft, Bamboo Craft, Dhokra, Wrought Iron and Clay Relief Work.
Besides running its own website, the Board is also displaying products on websites managed in collaboration with several other portals like Indiamart.
The Chhattisgarh government in September this year had announced that it has tied up with online shopping portal ‘www.Prindora.com’ which is dedicated to selling only hand-made crafts work globally, officials stated.
Notably, the CHDB sold craft items worth `3.07 crores during 2014-15, officials here stated.
The proceeds from sale includes items worth `2.25 crore sold from Shabari Emporiums within and outside Chhattisgarh.
In the current financial year, a target of selling `4 crore worth of handicrafts had been fixed by the Board. There are about 20,000 artisans currently engaged in making of various handicrafts in the State.
Notably, the Chhattisgarh Handicrafts Development Board has targetted to train 1500 bamboo craftsmen this year.
The Board is operating three special projects for development and upliftment of bamboo craftsmen in Chhattisgarh, officials stated.
The Central Government has sanctioned financial aid of `4.20 crore lakh in fiscal year 2012-13 for the projects.
In the review meeting recently chaired by State Village Industries Minister Punnulal Mohle at the Mantralaya in Naya Raipur, the Board officials had informed that Special Bamboo Art Project has been initiated in Mohla-Manpur of Rajnandgaon district, Beltara of Bilaspur district, and Gariaband District Headquarters, wherein equipment, workshop building, warehouses, Haat and rooms for craftsmen have been constructed with the financial aid sanctioned by Central Government.
Notably in March this year, the handicraft makers in insurgency infested Bastar region were also trained on how to market their products.
The initiative had been taken by Chhattisgarh Handicraft Development Board, officials stated
Recently, atleast 60 artisans from various districts of Bastar division participated in a two-day workshop on Marketing organised by CHDB.
The artisans were from Jagdalpur, Parchanpaan, Kondagaon, Chilkuti, Deurgaon, who took part in the workshop.
During the workshop, the artisans were told about where to sell their products and from where they could source the raw material for making the handicraft.
The workshop was organised by the Office of Commissioner, Chhattisgarh Handicraft Development Board.