Amid the novel Coronavirus crisis, Indian indigenous toy makers can look forward to hay-days as Hunar Haat is set to restart from October 9 with the focus on promoting indigenous exquisite Indian toys. Hunar Haat was stopped for the past nearly six months due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The theme this year is “Local to Global”.
Lending support to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for ‘Vocal for Local Toys’, Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Tuesday said in Delhi that "every corner of India has a traditional and ancestral legacy of indigenous toys. This legacy, which was on the verge of extinction, has got a boon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi pitched for Swadeshi Toys".
Hunar Haat will provide market and opportunities to master artisans who make indigenous exquisite toys of wood, brass, bamboo, glass, cloth, paper and clay, Naqvi said, adding that “Vocal for Local Toys” is aimed at promoting the Indian toy industry to regain its dominance in the toy market.
The next “Hunar Haat” will be organised at Prayagraj from October 9 to 18 October. More than 30 per cent stalls will be for artisans who prepare indigenous toys, they will also be extended help through various institutions for attractive packaging of “Swadeshi Toys”, the Minority Affairs Ministry said in a release.
“Hunar Haat” has provided employment and employment opportunities to over five lakh Indian artisans, craftsmen, culinary experts and other people associated with them in the last five years, Naqvi said.
The Minority Affairs Ministry has organised more than 24 Hunar Haat so far across the country where lakhs of artisans, craftsmen have been provided employment and employment opportunities through them.
Naqvi said that this time, people will also be able to buy “Hunar Haat” products online. The Minority Affairs Ministry is registering these artisans and their indigenous products on “GeM” (Government e Marketplace). Several export promotion councils have shown interest to provide international markets at large scale for handmade indigenous products of these artisans and craftsmen.
Hunar Haat will also be organized at Jaipur (23 Oct -1 November 2020), Chandigarh (7- 15 November 2020), Indore (21 to 29 November 2020), Mumbai (22 to 31 December 2020), Hyderabad (8 to 17 January 2021), Lucknow (23 to 31 January 2021), India Gate, New Delhi (13 to 21 February 2021), Ranchi (20 to 28 February 2021), Kota (5 to 14 March 2021), Surat/Ahmedabad (20 to 27 March 2021) among others.
