'Hunar Haat brings talents of craftspeople from remote corners to mainstream'

New Delhi: Hunar Haat brings the talents of artisans and craftspeople from the remote corners of the country to the mainstream, taking forward Prime Minister Narendra Modi's resolve of an 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat', Union minister Bhupender Yadav said on Thursday. The Union minister for environment, forest and climate change, and labour and employment, along with Union Minorities Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture Meenakshi Lekhi, inaugurated the 35th edition of the 'Hunar Haat' at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here.

"Hunar Haat is playing an important role in realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's resolve to promote the talent of every single artisan and craftsperson sitting in remote corners of the country and bringing him or her in the mainstream by providing him a platform here," Yadav said.

This will also take forward the prime minister's resolve of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat, he added. Skill exists in every household in every part of the country, and Hunar Haat promotes this skill, Yadav said.

Speaking on the occasion, Naqvi said the Narendra Modi government has protected the country's legacy of art and craftsmanship while providing new energy, market and opportunities to indigenous products through initiatives such as the Hunar Haat.

He said crores of rupees worth of business and orders are bagged by artisans and craftspeople through Hunar Haat. More than 700 artisans and craftspeople from more than 30 states and union territories are participating in the 'Hunar Haat' being organised here from December 23, 2021, to January 5, 2022, according to an official statement.

Former Union minister and MP Dr Harsh Vardhan, and MPs Hans Raj Hans, Manoj Kumar Tiwari, Ramesh Bidhuri and Parvesh Sahib Singh were the chief guests on the occasion.

Naqvi said Hunar Haat has proved to be a "powerful and perfect" platform of the "3Vs -- Vishwakarma Virasat Ka Vikas (legacy of indigenous craftsmanship)".

Over 7,50,000 artisans, craftspeople and people associated with them have been provided employment and self-employment opportunities through 'Hunar Haat' in the last six years, he said.

More than 40 per cent of them are women, Naqvi added.

Exquisite and elegant indigenous handmade products from more than 30 states and UTs, including Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Goa, are available at the 35th edition of 'Hunar Haat' here.