Tags:
Journalism of Courage
AHMEDABAD, July 1: Gujarat State Handicraft Development Corporation Limited organised a discussion with artisans making traditional handicraft items on their problems at Gujarat Vidyapith on Thursday.
Artisans8217; anger came to the fore during the discussion as they came down heavily on the corporation for failing to provide a conducive environment to the artisans.
Speaking at the function Tejiben Makwana, a national award winner in handicrafts, said that the corporation had failed in providing work to small scale artisans. She said that the basic objective of the corporation was to provide bread and butter to the artisans. She further asked the corporation to provide financial aid to artisans making handicrafts at a small scale.
Another artisan Hiralal Chauhan alleged that only big traders were able to get projects from GSHDC and the artisans who contacted the corporation were denied any project. He further said that the artisans got more money when they work for a big trader than when they worked for the corporation. He added that some of the officers of the corporation did not even know about handicrafts and rarely visit villages with handicraft tradition.
In reply, Cottage Industry Minister Ranjitsinh Chavda said that there may be some problem with the system and his department would give top priority to regain the artisans8217; faith in the corporation.
