Snapdeal partners AP, UC Berkeley for smart village proj

E-commerce firm Snapdeal today announced a partnership with University of California, Berkeley and Andhra Pradesh government to enable digital access for small artisans in the state's 'Smart Village' project.
The objective of the joint partnership is to create viable solutions through digitisation and new-age services, Snapdeal said in a statement.
Under the partnership, Snapdeal will provide local handloom weavers direct market access to buyers across the country, through its platform.
"Working with a vibrant base of 3 lakh sellers of various sizes, we continue to drive inclusive growth and in-sync development," said Vishal Chadha, SVP, Business Team.
"Through this collaboration, we aim to create employment and growth opportunities for local artisans, enhancing the reach of indigenously manufactured products to newer geographies and extending their legacy," Chadha added.

Products crafted by these artisans and associations will be curated and listed on a special page on Snapdeal, it said.
The company said it has currently on-boarded the handloom association of Meri Podu village as a seller.
The Softbank-backed online marketplace is facing tough times with over 600 lay-offs, mounting losses, and is also reportedly in talks for a stake sale to Flipkart.