Guwahati: North East Handloom and Handicraft Development Corporation (NEHHDC), a division of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), is helping artisans from the north eastern region through their various projects.
R K Singh, Managing Director, NEHHDC, who is spearheading various projects, spoke with Business North East on various initiatives and the future outlook of the corporation.

BNE: How does the NEHHDC help the NE Indian artisan community support its way of life?
Brig. R.K. Singh: The main goal of the NEHHDC is to develop the handicraft and handloom industries in all of North-East India's states. It makes an effort to assist, upskill, and teach local craftsmen so they may receive the most recent knowledge and improve their capabilities and skills. Additionally, it gives them the confidence to begin considering the manufacture of more commercially focused goods.

BNE: What significant clusters is NEHHDC currently concentrating on?
Brig. R.K. Singh: The NEHHDC is currently identifying significant clusters under the SFURTI programme. In accordance with the SFURTI model, we are in the process of finding 10–12 clusters that are dispersed among the eight Northeastern states.

BNE: What are the significant clusters you are examining?
Brig. R.K. Singh: Sericulture, the manufacture of handlooms, and beekeeping are significant clusters that we are examining under the SFURTI programme. In addition, the Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh has a really intriguing cluster where we are examining the creation of mead, a wine made from honey.

BNE: What major initiatives is the NEHHDC now putting forth?
Brig. R.K. Singh: In parallel to being a nodal agency for the NSIC's SC/ST hub project, we also train 1200 individuals from all across northeast India for a variety of jobs related to the handloom, handicraft, and related industries. We have also submitted an application to the Ministry of Skill Development under the Central Government's Sankalp Scheme, and we are hoping that we will be approved shortly. This application will cover over 2700 applicants in various employment categories.

BNE: Is there a preference for domestic or international consumption of handwoven goods?
Brig. R.K. Singh: Although the consumer base is domestic, efforts are being made to scale it up, achieve standardisation, and establish the necessary compliances so that they are export-ready. There are several necessary regulations and specifications that must be made before exports may begin. We have also taken the initiative in our efforts to collaborate with Exim Bank, where we have picked six clusters in three states, namely Meghalaya, Nagaland, and Mizoram, which would be transformed into excellence clusters that will only focus on product exports.

BNE: What procedures are in place for paying the artisans?
Brig. R.K. Singh: Before Covid, the NEHHDC purchased antiquities and goods from the craftsmen and paid them on the spot. We also had a programme in 2020 when COVID first appeared. Through a unique government programme, NEHHDC travelled to the area and purchased about 2 crore worth of goods from craftsmen who at the time had market access. It was a significant relief for the artists throughout Covid's reign.

BNE: How is the NEHHDC operating as a connection in the market?
Brig. R.K. Singh: Since this is where the artists' income is created, one of the most crucial tasks for NEHHDC is to connect them with markets. We're doing our best, as it's our main responsibility. Initially, it was only available in physical stores, but over the past year, we've made a big effort to expand our online presence and have also developed our own e-commerce websites, such as Purbashree.Com. We have also formed partnerships with significant online retailers like Amazon, Flipkart, GoCoop, Yespoho, and most recently, American Giant, which solely sells handmade goods under the name Etsy. In light of this, I believe that all of these initiatives will be game-changing, and we are now working to assist artists in joining the GeM portal, the government's online marketplace.

BNE: What primary goods is NEHHDC now concentrating on?
Brig. R.K. Singh: We are interested in items made of erii, and we want to promote erii. NEHHDC just introduced a new brand called Nature's Weave, and we hope to utilise this to encourage the usage of erii and erii-related products, such as home furnishings, sarees, stoles, tableware, and more.

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