Export promotion centre for chikan set up in UP

In an effort to promote the chikan craft export, an Export Promotion Centre for Chikan Craft was inaugurated by Uttar Pradesh Minister for Small Industries and Export Promotion Badshah Singh in Lucknow today.

An initiative of the state government undertaking Uttar Pradesh Export Corporation Ltd (UPECL), the centre has been set at the UPECL premises in Lucknow.

Talking to Business Standard, Markandey Singh, managing director, UPECL, said: "Of the total handicrafts exports from India, about 60 per cent is given from our state, famous for chikan work and zardozi (Lucknow), brass ware items (Moradabad), wood craft (Saharanpur) and carpets (Bhadoi). The estimated production of the chikan industry is Rs 80 crore. However, only a 5 per cent of it is exported. With this new initiative, we hope an increase in the exports."

The centre has been set up under the Assistance to State for Infrastructure Development for Exports (ASIDE) scheme of the central government.

The centre will have facilities like machines for development of prototype and job work, design studio, training program for skill upgrade, workshops for exports and a library and data bank.

This will be a common facility centre for pattern setting, packaging and designing of chikan clothes. Design software is also being developed to engrave designs on the cloth, thus saving time of the craftsmen.

Involving an investment of about Rs 73 lakh, the required machines for cutting, sewing, and pattern making and grading have been imported from Japan, Germany and Austria.

Chikan manufacturing industry in the state has about 600 members and over a lakh artisans.

"The local Chikan Handicraft Association and National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Delhi have been associated to run the activities of the centre along with giving marketing tips to the manufacturers," Singh said.