The Ministry of Textiles has approved continuation of Comprehensive Handicrafts Cluster Development Scheme (CHCDS) with a total outlay of ₹160 crore. The scheme will now continue up to March 2026.

The scheme will provide infrastructural support, market access, design and technology up-gradation support to handicraft artisans, according to an official release.

“CHCDS aims to create world-class infrastructure that caters to the business needs of the local artisans & SMEs to boost production and export,” the release said.

Under CHCDS, soft interventions like baseline survey and activity mapping, skill training, improved tool kits, marketing events, seminars, publicity, design workshops and capacity building will be provided by the government. Common facility centres, emporiums, raw material banks, trade facilitation centres, common production centres, design and resource centres will also be facilitated.

“The focus will be on integration of scattered artisans, building their grass root level enterprises and linking them to SMEs in the handicrafts sector to ensure economies of scale. The mega handicraft clusters having more than 10,000 artisans will be selected for overall development under this scheme,” the release said.

comment COMMENT NOW