Hunar Haats

• 13 Dec 2021

Why in News

Recently, the Ministry of Minority Affairs has organised the 34^th Edition of Hunar Haat in Gujarat where Artisans from 30 states and union territories have participated.

Key Points

• About:
  
  • First launched in 2016, it is an exhibition of handicrafts and traditional products made by artisans from the minority communities.
  • Hunar Haat has been conceptualized to protect and promote the country’s ancestral legacy of arts and crafts in the current global competition and to support the traditional artisans and craftsmen.
  • The artisans selected in the Hunar Haat exhibition are those whose forefathers were involved in such traditional handmade work and are still continuing the profession.
• Theme:
  
  • Vocal for Local.
• Organizer:
  
  • These are organised by the Ministry of Minority Affairs under USTTAD (Upgrading the Skills & Training in Traditional Arts/Crafts for Development) scheme.
    
    • The USTTAD scheme aims to promote and preserve the rich heritage of the traditional arts & crafts of the minority communities.
• Aim:
  
  • To provide market exposure and employment opportunities to artisans, craftsmen and traditional culinary experts.
  • Boosting the skills of craftsmen, weavers and artisans who are already engaged in the traditional ancestral work.
• SIgnificance:
  
  • ‘Hunar Haat’ has proved to be an “Empowerment Exchange” for master artisans and craftsmen.
  • It has proved to be immensely beneficial and encouraging for artisans and craftsmen as lakhs of people visit the “Hunar Haat” and purchase indigenous handmade products of artisans on a large scale.
  • It is also providing employment opportunities to lakhs of artisans and craftsmen from across the country.
    
    • Presently around 7 lakh people across the country are directly and indirectly associated with Hunar Haat, About 40 % of them are women artisans, and in the next couple of years, around 17 lakh families are expected to join Hunar Haat.

Other Schemes Related to Minorities

• Pradhanmantri Jan Vikas Karyakram:
  
  • The programme aims to develop socio-economic and basic amenities assets like school, college, polytechnic, girls hostel, ITI, skill development centre etc for the minority communities.
• Begum Hazrat Mahal Girls Scholarships:
  
  • It provides scholarships for economically backward girls belonging to the six notified Minority communities.
• Gharib Nawaz Employment Scheme:
  
  • Was launched so that short term job oriented skill development courses may be provided to minorities’ youth in order to enable them for skill based employment.
• Seekho aur Kamao:
  
  • This is a placement linked skill development scheme for minorities aiming to upgrade the skills of minority youth in various modern/traditional skills depending upon their qualification, present economic trends and market potential, which can earn them suitable employment or make them suitably skilled to go for self-employment.
• Nai Manzil:
  
  • It is a scheme for formal school education & skilling of school dropouts launched in 2015.
• Usttad (Upgrading the Skills and Training in Traditional Arts/Crafts for Development):
  
  • The scheme aims to preserve the rich heritage of traditional arts/crafts of minorities..
• Nai Roshni:
  
  • Launched for leadership development of women belonging to minority communities.

Source: PIB