New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said the Union Government is aiming to increase the annual turnover of rural industries from Rs. 80,000 crore to Rs. 5 lakh crore in two to three years. He was delivering the inaugural speech at the 26th Hunar Haat at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in the national capital.
"The irony that our rural industries did not get the kind of encouragement they should have. But our government is focused on promoting rural industries," Singh said.
Congratulating the artists and craftsmen at the fair for utilising the lockdown time, Singh said: "realising the sense of opportunity in a disaster our artists and craftsmen utilised the lockdown period and created a large number of handmade materials in the hope of the "skill haat" 2021."
'Hunar Haat' is a national platform for artisans in the country to showcase their products. The 10-day-long 'Haat' has been organised by the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs.
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Mansukh Mandavi was the chief guest at the inaugural function of Hunar Haat. Lok Sabha MP Meenakshi Lekhi also attended the occasion as an honoured guest. Earlier, Union Minister for Minority Affairs, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi had said that more than 600 artisans and artisans from more than 31 states and union territories are participating in Hunar Haat in New Delhi.
Artists and craftsmen from Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Ladakh, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, Odisha, Puducherry, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal etc. are participating to showcase and sell their exquisite indigenous handmade products.
The Defence Minister further said that this Haat is a beautiful exhibition of our traditional art and craft and more importantly our "cultural mosaic."
"Glad to inaugurate the 26th edition of 'Hunar Haat' in New Delhi today. The Hunar Haat brings together indigenous artisans and craftsmen from across the country. This Haat is a beautiful exhibition of our traditional art and craft and more importantly our cultural mosaic," he tweeted.
The theme for the 26th 'Hunar Haat' is 'Vocal for Local'.
Also read: LIVE: Rajnath Singh inaugurates 'Hunar Haat' in Delhi
More than 600 artisans and craftsmen, including a large number of women artisans, from 31 States and Union Territories are participating.
According to the Ministry of Minority affairs data, till now, 'Hunar Haat' has given employment opportunities to over five lakh artisans in five years. People can buy products from the 'Hunar Haat' website as well.
Hunar Haat is also available in virtual form and on the GEM portal with the online platform http://hunarhaat.org from where people from all over the country can buy indigenous artisans and artisans' products through digital/online medium. Huh.
The move to provide Hunar Haat on online/digital platforms and GEM have received a very positive response. Artisans and artisans are receiving massive online orders for their products.
(With inputs from ANI)
