When I attend an exhibition in Delhi many of them are seriously curious to know how I got these govt: conducting exhibitions. Commonly Muslim women and girls also have craft skills just like others. But mostly, they never reach to mainstream programmes and govt programmes. Glad that recently people have more awareness about these but they don’t know from where they need to start.
From my experience, here I am sharing some steps you need to be follow before be a part of govt programmes. Firstly, visit exhibitions, melas etc regularly when it is available. Connect with artisans who are experienced in attending this type of melas and programmes. Keep in touch with them. When it turns to a good friendship (Go beyond religion. Here craft is the only religion. Keep that in mind.) Discuss about your product, its quality, perfection, its market, its new trends and ideas. Share each other and make that bond strong. And tell them to guide you to the procedures to move your craft to a professional one. Just make sure your products should be presentable and perfect to be sold. Otherwise, no sale will get through these programmes.
Then take artisan ID card through HSC. Then practice yourself and when it is enough ready to be marketed. Register your business in MSME (The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises). And make sure take Udyam registration for it. Then connect with your specific sector authorities (handicraft sector). And search the possibilities of your product. If it is suitable to tourism, then don’t forget register in RT mission (Responsible tourism). And much more possibilities we find out when we search for…!!
Here I attaching some formal steps to be followed to move forward.
1-Get Your “Pehchan” (Artisan) ID Card
The Pehchan Card is the most critical document. It serves as your official national identity as an artisan and is the “entry ticket” for almost all government schemes.
How to Apply: You can apply online via the Indian Handicrafts Portal or visit your nearest Handicrafts Service Centre (HSC).
Documents Needed: Aadhaar card, a passport-size photograph, and bank account details.
Verification: A field officer may visit to verify your skill or ask for a demonstration of your craft.
Benefits: Once you have this card, you are eligible for stall allocations in exhibitions, insurance, and interest-free loans.
2. Register for Government Exhibitions & Melas
Once you have your ID, you can participate in major national and international fairs. The government often subsidizes your travel, freight (shipping your goods), and stay.
Gandhi Shilp Bazaar / National Crafts Melas: These are organized across various states. Keep an eye on the DC Handicrafts “Apply Online” portal for upcoming event calendars.
Surajkund Mela & Dilli Haat: These are premier platforms. Participation is usually through a selection process where you apply months in advance using your Pehchan Card.
Financial Support: For many events, the government provides:
Daily Allowance (DA): Roughly ₹500–₹800 per day.
Travel Allowance (TA): Reimbursement of train/bus tickets.
Freight: Assistance for transporting your craft items to the venue.
3. Join a Cluster or Self-Help Group (SHG)
The government prefers working with groups rather than just individuals for large-scale training and bulk orders.
Ambedkar Hastshilp Vikas Yojana (AHVY): This scheme helps artisans form “clusters.” Being part of a cluster gives you access to modern tools, better raw materials, and collective bargaining power.
PM Vishwakarma Scheme: If your craft falls under the 18 traditional trades (like pottery, basket weaving, etc.), you can register for this to get specialized training, a toolkit incentive of ₹15,000, and collateral-free loans.
4. Upskill through Training Programs
If you want to move from “commoner” to “mainstream professional,” you should join design workshops.
Design & Technical Upgradation: The government invites designers from institutes like NID or NIFT to work with artisans to make their products “market-ready” (e.g., turning a traditional weave into a modern laptop bag).
Guru-Shishya Parampara: You can apply to learn advanced techniques from Master Craftspersons (National Award winners) under government-funded training.
Ms. Riswana – C. H