The Office of the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, has been organising Entrepreneurship Development Programmes (EDPs) with the objective of transforming genuine handicraft artisans into confident and capable entrepreneurs.
Under this initiative, the Office of the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) has identified reputed institutions across the country to organise 48 EDPs covering 197 Producer Companies. Each programme accommodates around 20 genuine artisans from Producer Company clusters, providing them with structured training on various aspects of entrepreneurship and handicraft business management. Experienced faculty members and subject experts have been engaged to deliver sessions on entrepreneurship, business development, product presentation, marketing and other relevant areas.
The initiative addresses several challenges faced by artisans, particularly those working in rural and remote areas. It has been observed that many non-awardee artisans possess considerable traditional skills but require further exposure and professional guidance in areas such as product finishing, packaging, presentation, branding, customer interaction and display techniques. When such artisans participate in national-level fairs and exhibitions, deficiencies in these areas can affect the marketability and commercial appeal of their products.
The EDPs are therefore intended to bridge this gap by equipping artisans with practical entrepreneurial knowledge and enabling them to present their traditional crafts in a more professional and market-oriented manner.
The Ministry of Textiles is investing approximately ₹2.40 crore across the country for this initiative. It is envisaged that the trained artisans will not only strengthen their own handicraft enterprises but also create employment opportunities for other artisans in rural villages. Through continuous handholding and field-level support by the offices of the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), the programme seeks to contribute towards sustainable livelihoods and the long-term development of artisan communities.
In this connection, an Entrepreneurship Development Programme was inaugurated at YBN University, Ranchi, under the supervision of Shri Sandeep Kumar, Regional Director (ER) and Shri Pushp Rajan, Assistant Director (Handicrafts), HSC Ranchi. The programme is being attended by 20 artisan participants representing four Producer Companies of Jharkhand and is being conducted from 28 September to 3 October 2026.
The Chairman, Vice-Chancellor, Registrar and faculty members of YBN University extended their support to the programme. The University has also provided the participating artisans with excellent basic amenities and residential facilities throughout the training period.
The initiative reflects the Government’s efforts to move beyond traditional skill development and enable artisans to emerge as self-reliant entrepreneurs, market-ready producers and potential employment generators within their communities.
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