Bhopal, Dec 27 (NationPress) Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav has unveiled a detailed strategy to enhance the visibility and sales of Madhya Pradesh's esteemed handloom and handicraft products. This initiative aims not only to safeguard cultural heritage but also to empower artisans and stimulate rural economic development.

In a recent high-level review meeting with the Department of Cottage and Village Industries, the CM underscored the importance of promoting products from state-owned brands—Mrignayani, Vindhya Valley, Kabira, and Prakrit—at various MP Tourism units, significant religious sites, and other key locations across the state. He proposed broadening these brands to district levels via private franchises and utilizing digital platforms for enhanced national and international reach.

Dr. Yadav also instructed officials to arrange saree walkathons—akin to the highly successful Indore event on March 7, which witnessed participation from 27,000 women—in other cities to honor and promote the tradition of wearing sarees. Furthermore, he advocated for the expansion of silk production endeavors across more districts with active participation from the private sector.

The Chief Minister emphasized the need for a unified database of all GI-tagged products from the state.

Distinct handicraft items, such as heritage Maheshwari stoles, beautifully packaged in wooden boxes adorned with Gond (Madhya Pradesh’s tribal) paintings and bell metal artistry, have been earmarked for gifting to guests at the Prime Minister's Office. There has been a surge in demand from international embassies as well, officials noted.

In honor of the 300th birth anniversary of the former Malwa ruler Ahilyadevi Holkar, 52 unique saree designs inspired by the engravings on Maheshwar Fort are currently in development. The ‘Silk Prosperity Scheme’ is set to be rolled out across all districts. Additionally, new cheetah-themed gift items featuring over 35 local crafts are being prepared for sale at the Kuno Cheetah Sanctuary, officials mentioned.

This meeting also reflected on the achievements of the past two years: 2,568 village industry units approved under the Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme, ₹63 crore in grants allocated, ₹252 crore in bank loans arranged, and 6,300 new jobs created. Skill training was extended to 1,710 artisans, with 1,197 securing placements. Production by the department reached ₹10 crore, while emporium sales totaled ₹23 crore. New outlets were inaugurated at Jawahar Chowk and Bhopal Haat, supplemented by 79 exhibitions throughout the state and in major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Ranchi, and Chhattisgarh.

Looking forward, the three-year action plan includes upgrading facilities in Gwalior, expanding Khadi, textiles, and leather production under SFURTI in various districts, establishing common facility centers in Bhopal, offering e-commerce platforms and design support to 1,000 weavers, training 1,700 artisans, equipping 800 with advanced tools, organizing 270 fairs, doubling Khadi production capacity, creating 8,000 jobs, and enhancing the One District One Product initiative.