Odisha govt inks pact with Flipkart to promote handloom, handicrafts

Flipkart has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the state of Odisha to promote the state’s Arts, Crafts and Handloom sectors by bringing them into the e-commerce fold. The partnership with State Institute for Development of Arts & Crafts (SIDAC) under the Flipkart Samarth programme will enable Odisha’s local artisans, weavers and craftsmen to showcase their hallmark products to millions of customers across the country.

Bhubaneswar: In a bid to boost the state's handloom and handicraft sector, the Odisha government has partnered with e-commerce platform Flipkart to enable artisans to showcase their products to customers across the country, an official said on Sunday.

The partnership between the State Institute for Development of Arts and Crafts (SIDAC) and the homegrown e-commerce giant will facilitate promotion of Odisha''s local handicraft and handloom products, he said.

"With the help of the e-commerce company, artisans living in remote areas of Odisha will now be able to market their products to consumers across India.

This partnership will also help them gain valuable knowledge about branding, digital marketing and financial management while showcasing the local heritage and hallmark products," Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts Department additional secretary K C Sahoo, said.

Both the SIDAC and the e-commerce firm will focus on creating avenues to increase business and trade opportunities for these underserved segments of the society, he said.

Flipkart will onboard renowned Odia brands such as ''Boyanika'', ''Utkalika'' and ''Sambalpuri Bastralaya'', he said.

"We are delighted to join hands with the Odisha government to bring the state''s heritage on our platform while providing its artisans and weavers a chance to fulfil their ambitions and expand their businesses pan-India," Flipkart Group chief corporate affairs officer Rajneesh Kumar said. (PTI)