Visakhapatnam: Flipkart Samarth to showcase rural crafts

Weavers working on a Kalamkari saree (Left); A team of artisans making Veena (Right)
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Weavers working on a Kalamkari saree (Left); A team of artisans making Veena (Right)

Highlights

  • Government of Andhra Pradesh has recently signed an MoU with Flipkart Samarth to promote the State’s art, craft and handloom sectors
  • Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation MD and CEO Arja Srikanth says the platform creates avenues for the artisans to enhance their business as well as trade inclusion opportunities

Visakhapatnam: In a bid to empower artisans, craftsmen and weavers, the e-commerce giant Flipkart lends a platform to them by providing a virtual marketplace through its Samarth programme.

The initiative aims at offering a host of support systems to the artisans, taking them onboard, facilitating access to a pan-India customer base and hand-holding them to march forward in the e-commerce journey until they get familiar with the online selling techniques.

The agenda is to reach out to rural entrepreneurs located in nondescript villages and help them gain access to the marketplace for their crafts.

In a move to promote the state's art, craft and handloom sectors, the Government of Andhra Pradesh has recently signed an MoU with Flipkart Samarth. "The partnership enables local artisans, weavers and craftsmen from across 13 districts of Andhra Pradesh to showcase their exclusive craftsmanship.

The platform creates avenues for the artisans to enhance their business as well as trade inclusion opportunities. Special focus will be paid on uplifting women-led enterprises and differently-abled entrepreneurs," explains Arja Srikanth, Managing Director and CEO of Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC).

Apart from lending warehousing support and other logistics, Flipkart Samarth also intends to extend time-bound incubation support to a network of artisans. Initially, close to 1,000 exclusive products of 500 artisans from across 13 districts of the state to find a place on the e-commerce site.

More number of weavers and craftsmen will be added to the list in future. "APSSDC acts as a facilitator in creating avenues for the craftsmen and artisans and guiding them to register their unique products on the e-commerce site until they get familiar with the process," adds Srikanth.

Currently, Flipkart Samarth, a year-old endeavour, supports the livelihood of close to six-lakh weavers, craftsmen and artisans pan-India by partnering with NGOs and government entities.

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