DAY-NRLM Webinar on Jute Craft Aims to Boost Non-Farm Sector Livelihoods

New Delhi: In a bid to enhance livelihoods in the non-farm sector, the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) under the Ministry of Rural Development organized a webinar on Jute Craft yesterday. The event brought together key stakeholders from various areas of the jute craft industry to discuss its status, challenges, and opportunities.

In his address, Charanjit Singh, Additional Secretary of Rural Livelihoods, highlighted the dual potential of jute as both a “Golden Fiber” for livelihoods and a “Green Fiber” for the environment. He encouraged experts and participants to focus on reducing production costs and enhancing marketing efforts to ensure that jute craft receives its due recognition. He emphasized that with its potential to enhance incomes, jute craft can contribute to the vision of “Lakhpati Didis” as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Welcoming the participants, Rajeshwari SM, Director of MoRD, stated that the webinar would serve as a platform for experts and practitioners to share insights on technological advancements, market strategies, and the experiences of women artisans in the field.

Kishan Singh Ghughtyal, Joint Director of the National Jute Board, Ministry of Textiles, highlighted government initiatives aimed at promoting jute craft through advanced technology to reduce drudgery and ensure product diversity. Tamal Sarkar, Senior Advisor at the Foundation for MSME Cluster (FMC), shared insights on cluster interventions in jute crafts.  Anjali Singh, an artisan and entrepreneur, shared practical experiences on the scope and challenges for women artisans in jute craft marketing and promotion.

The Indian jute industry, predominantly located in the eastern part of the country, is an old and significant industry. Jute fiber is extracted from the stem of the plant grown as a cash crop in states like Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and Tripura. Jute mills form an important part of the industry, which occupies a significant place in the Indian economy.