Union Minister Anurag Thakur inaugurated the 40th edition of the Hunar Haat, a platform to provide market and opportunities to traditional arts and crafts of India, in Mumbai. 

More than 1,000 artisans and craftspersons from 31 states/Union Territories are participating, displaying a variety of wares and skills in the  initiative.

In line with the themes ‘Vocal for Local’ and ‘Best From Waste’, exquisite products made from used and discarded items, such as plastic, paper, ply, wood, glass, ceramic, jute, cotton and wool, as well as banana stems, sugarcane pulp, paddy and wheat straw, husk, rubber, iron, brass, will be showcased.

What is Hunar Haat?

• Hunar Haats are organised by the minority affairs ministry in which master artisans, craftspersons and culinary experts from across the country participate. Stalls are set up with indigenous exquisite handmade products and traditional delicacies. 

• Hunar Haat is helping in promotion and preservation of languishing traditional arts, crafts and indigenous products which is playing an effective role in the pledge of ‘Swadeshi se Swavalamban’ and ‘Vocal for Local’ thereby contributing to the objectives of Aatmanirbhar Bharat. 

• Hunar Haat is implemented as a component of the USTTAD scheme of the ministry.

• Upgrading the Skills and Training in Traditional Arts/Crafts for Development (USTTAD) was formally launched in May 2015.

The scheme aims:

i) Capacity building and upgrading of the traditional skills of master craftspersons and artisans. 

ii) Documentation of identified traditional arts/crafts of minorities.

iii) To set standards of traditional skills.

iv) Training of minority youths in various identified traditional arts/crafts through master craftspersons.

v) To develop national and international market linkages.

vi) Preservation of languishing arts/crafts.

• The ministry has engaged institutions like National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) and National Institute of Design (NID) to work in various craft clusters for design intervention, product range development, documentation of identified crafts, set standards of identified crafts, conduct exhibitions and brand building, etc. 

• Hunar Haat has generated employment and employment opportunities for artisans, craftspersons and associated persons and has further strengthened their market linkages. 

• So far, more than 8 lakh artisans, craftspersons and people associated with them have benefitted through various Hunar Haats organised by the ministry.

• More than 50 per cent of these beneficiaries are women artisans.

• On an average, 8 to 10 lakh people have visited every Hunar Haat. So, more than 4 crore people have visited 39 Hunar Haats, organised across the country, to purchase indigenous products, encourage artisans and craftspersons and also enjoy various musical and cultural programmes.

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