‘We must preserve our artisanal legacy of skills’

Addressing the audience at Friday’s Luxury Symposium 2018 in Delhi, the Union Minister for Minority Affairs, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that India is a country of master artisans and that we should ensure their “legacy of skills” is preserved and developed.

India’s “every region and every hand”, according to Naqvi, possesses great skill and expertise in various sectors. “We should ensure that this legacy is not vanished,” he said.

Renowned fashion designers and artisans of national and international repute were present at the event, which was organised by designer Ritu Beri.

Naqvi also said that there is a need to develop and improve this “legacy of master artisans” and to provide a market and an opportunity to them. For the first time, the Modi Government has created a separate Ministry of Skill Development to strengthen the nationwide skill-development drive.

The Ministry of Minority Affairs is also working with commitment to protect and improve the heritage of master artisans and craftsmen through various job-oriented skill development programmes.

According to the minister, more than 7 lakh people have been given employment and employment opportunities through job-oriented skill-development schemes, such as Hunar Haat, Seekho aur Kamao, Usttad, Garib Nawaz Kaushal Vikas Yojana, Nai Manzil etc during about last four years.

“Hunar Haat” has become a “Credible Brand” for the empowerment of artisans and craftsmen across the country. “HunarHaat” is all about the “empowerment and employment exchange” for master artisans and craftsmen. Such employment-oriented programmes of the Modi Government as “HunarHaat” have significantly encouraged and promoted the rich traditional heritage of master artisans, who have been marginalised for a long time.