Guwahati: Amazon India has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Manipur Handloom & Handicrafts Development Corporation Limited (MHHDCL), a Government of Manipur Enterprise, to help craftsmen and weavers flourish throughout the state.

Amazon India has created the Panthoibi Emporium on its marketplace as part of this MoU, as part of the Amazon Karigar initiative.

With this launch, Amazon India hopes to support the growth of the emporium's nearly 300,000 artists and weavers. This project is motivated by the desire to promote digital inclusiveness and economic prospects through Amazon merchants, as well as employment development.

Sellers that join the emporium will receive perks such as tailored training for a speedy start, better consumer exposure, and dedicated marketing help, among other things. This will also provide these weavers access to a potentially larger market, which may result in increased recognition for their work and additional job chances.

Customers from around the country may access and purchase from a broad selection of products supplied by Panthoibi Emporium, including Kauna Crafts - Water Reed, Manipuri Rani Phee, and food items such as black rice, forest forage teas, GI tagged chile, GI tagged lemon and oranges, amongst others. "This partnership would offer up endless prospects for them to expand and scale their business," said Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh in a statement.

MSMES, with the proper tools, technology, and insights, may play a significant role in boosting the Indian economy's growth. As a result, it is critical that the e-commerce ecosystem and its major players cooperate to enable more and more small enterprises to participate in capacity development initiatives." "Manipur is well-known around the world for its handicraft and handloom industries. The addition of Panthoibi Emporium to the marketplace furthers our goal of making Indian arts and crafts more accessible to buyers and digitising 10 million MSMEs by 2025. We will continue to work with organisations like MHHDCL to broaden product variety by bringing in local art forms that support craftspeople "Sumit Sahay, Director of Selling Partner Services at Amazon India, stated in a statement.

Amazon India has onboarded around 3,700 master weavers, co-operatives, artisans, and regional APEX organisations to sell on its platform since the inception of the Amazon Karigar programme in 2016. It has also worked with 30 government emporiums and seven government entities to display authentic crafts and enhance market linkages. Karigar has approximately 1.7 lakh goods, including 450 one-of-a-kind arts and crafts from 27 states and union territories.

Elangbam Jeeten Singh, Managing Director of MHHDCL, commented on the MoU, saying, "Our relationship would be critical in helping Panthoibi Emporium's 300.000 craftsmen and weavers to accelerate their growth through e-commerce. This would increase visibility among clients looking for a wide range of handcraft and handloom items manufactured by Manipur artisans. It will also draw attention to locally created commodities that reflect our diverse cultural history."