E-commerce giant Amazon India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Council of Handicrafts Development Corporations (COHANDS) to encourage digital inclusion and empower the growth of 50,000+ artisans and weavers under its Karigar programme. Through the initiative, Amazon India will offer economic opportunities by giving them the chance to be Amazon sellers for their wares such as products from beaten metal, bamboo, pottery and Zardozi, among others. These craftsmen will also be able to avail a host of other benefits such as reduced referral fees, training support for shipping and delivery of products, imaging and marketing, technical know-how, and business and sales. The collaboration aims to positively impact 100 craft clusters, including 55 artisanal clusters funded by the Ministry of MSME’s flagship project – SFURTI (Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries). The move is in line with Amazon India’s commitment to digitise 10 million small and mid-size businesses by 2025.
Commenting on the collaboration, VP Thakur, Executive Director COHANDS and Regional Director o/o DC (H), Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, said, “MSMEs are India’s growth catalyst and aided with the right tools, technology and insights, they can play a definite role in accelerating the growth of the Indian economy. This is an important development towards empowering thousands of artisans and weavers associated with COHANDS. Access to e-commerce through Amazon.in will offer unlimited opportunities for them to grow and scale their business. This collaboration with Amazon India will provide them with an effective medium to showcase their products on the Amazon.in marketplace, helping them become a part of India’s digital economy.”
