Jual Oram inaugurates National Tribal Crafts Mela 'Aadishilp'Union Tribal Affairs Minister Shri Jual Oram inaugurated National Tribal Crafts Mela Aadishilp in New Delhi today. Speaking on the occasion the Minister said this kind of exhibitions provide our tribal artisans an important platform to showcase their talents through their products to urban India. Shri Oram said Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Ltd. (TRIFED) through its 44 sales counter all over the country is providing much needed marketing system for tribal products. Shri Oram said Ministry of Tribal Affairs will provide more and more such platforms for tribal artisans so that they can sell their products directly to the consumer without middlemen. The Minister urged media, NGOs and particularly urban youth to come forward to popularize the tribal products and bring the tribals into the main stream of the society. 'Aadishilp' organised by Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Ltd. (TRIFED) at Dilli Haat will be open till November 11, 2015. Unique and exquisite tribal artefacts of more than 90 tribal artisans from all over the country are being exhibited in this Exhibition. Hand crafted items, handloom products, dry flowers, cane and bamboo products, tribal jewellery, Dhokra craft, tribal weaves, embroidery, tribal paintings and lot more is being exhibited at the venue. The main objective of organizing Aadishilp is to give tribal artisans an opportunity to showcase and sell their traditional art and craft works directly to the customers and get their feedback which would help them in having valuable design related and other inputs. Aadishilp provides them a platform for direct interface with art and craft lovers, share their talent with the urban elite and know the customers taste and preferences for adapting their product designs and creations accordingly. TRIFED has been taking a number of promotional initiatives for marketing of tribal products. From a single sales outlet of TRIBES India in 1999 at 9, Mahadev Road, Delhi, it has established 34 outlets of its own and 10 Consignment outlets across the country. TRIFED has also initiated the concept of sourcing tribal products by way of organizing Tribal Artisan Melas (TAMs) to identify new artisans and products from different regions/ States where tribal artisans are invited to display their products for selection and inclusion in the range of products marketed by TRIFED. Design and quality inputs are given to the artisans wherever required for overall improvement and better marketing prospects of their products. TRIFED, under Ministry of Tribal Affairs, is the only apex body of Govt. of India which is engaged in the development and marketing of traditional tribal products including Metal craft, Paintings, Textiles, Jewellery, Natural/ Organic/ Herbal products etc. TRIFED's main objective is to improve the livelihood of the tribal communities by creating a sustainable market and create business opportunities for them based on their cultural knowledge and traditional skills whilst ensuring fair and equitable remuneration for their products by organizing Tribal Crafts Mela. TRIFED also focuses on trainings for skill up gradation and capacity building of tribal artisans and Minor Forest Produce gatherers. Samir/jk
