GeM adds 1.8 lakh weavers, artisans to its portal to enhance their market access
1 min read 20 Sep 2021, 06:01 PM ISTThe new initiative is intended to provide direct market access opportunities to approx. 3.5 million handloom workers and 2.7 million handicraft artisans
PremiumNEW DELHI: In a move to provide enhanced market access to weavers and artisans, Government e-Marketplace (GeM) has initiated a drive to onboard weavers and artisans on the GeM portal so as to enable them to sell their products directly to the government departments.
“This will increase participation from under-served seller groups such as artisans, weavers, micro entrepreneurs, women, tribal entrepreneurs and self-help groups working in Handloom and Handicrafts, who face challenges in accessing government markets," commerce ministry said in a statement.
Till 30 August, 28,374 artisans and 1,49,422 weavers had been registered on the portal. GeM initiated the seller registration and onboarding of weavers and artisans in July 2020 with the assistance of officials from office of development commissioner handloom and development commissioner handicrafts. Officers from 56 Handicraft Service Centres and 28 Weaver Service Centres were trained and engaged in the seller registration process.
This initiative is intended to provide direct market access opportunities to approx. 3.5 million handloom workers and 2.7 million handicraft artisans.
28 exclusive product categories have been created for handloom products. Simultaneously 170 custom product categories created for handicraft products. Dedicated web-banners and market pages have been developed for Indian handloom and Indian handicrafts products to showcase the high-quality products made by artisans, weavers, cooperative societies, Self Help Groups (SHGs) and producer companies capable of supplying such products to various government buyers.
The commerce ministry said the move will help promote handloom and handicraft products with government buyers, empower weavers and artisans to sell their products directly to government buyers sans intermediaries.
