Gujarat to retail handicrafts under 'Saras' brand

The state department of rural development, is planning to launch 'Saras' brand for handicraft products to streamline the marketing efforts by the Gujarat Gram Haat.

The Gujarat Gram Haat is a complex where handicrafts of rural artisans from across the state will be available at one place.

The department aims at bringing all the products that will be offered by the Haat under one banner to standardise the unorganised handicrafts market in the state.

The department is also aiming at ensuring the quality of the handicraft materials, which will also be sold online through its newly launched portal. The department has recruited professionals from Ahmedabad based B-schools to manage the portal.

"The newly launched portal by Gujarat Gram Haat will showcase the reach traditional artwork by the local artists and have visitors from overseas countries to buy the works of Gujarati artisans. We want to ensure the potential buyers about the quality of the products and we believe that the branding of handicraft products will rope in the faith of the buyers," said Vipul Mitra, secretary, rural development department, Gujarat.

The department has identified 551 self help groups covering about 6,000 artisans living below poverty line in the state. The membership base primarily comes from Kutch and Saurashtra, known for the rich traditional handicrafts.

The first Gram Haat was recently set up at Vasna area of Ahmedabad and two more are scheduled to be opened at Vadodara and Surat by the end of the current year.

The upcoming sales complexes with assistance of state and central government will eliminate the element of middlemen who are reportedly exploiting the rural artisans, claimed Mitra.

Last week, the chief minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi inaugurate the first complex in Ahmedabad.