Two-third of India lives in villages with limited access to economic agricultural opportunities. SFURTI, a government scheme, is trying to help villages imagine their lives beyond farming – helping them become earning artisans.
Agriculture and allied sectors employ more than 45% of the total Indian workforce. The problem with these activities is that they are cyclical and depend on the frequency of rain and other externalities.
SFURTI (Scheme of Funds for Regeneration of Traditional Industries) is an initiative by the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), which helps in establishing art and craft clusters across India with the aim of supporting artisans.
The scheme provides financial aid of up to Rs 5 crores and other professional linkages in setting up a cluster.
SFURTI has already begun to sow the seeds of success. Let’s take a look at how it has generated reliable alternative sources of income for rural workforce in Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and Gujarat.
Artisans from Kartala in Korba district, an extremely backward tribal village, lack access to basic facilities.
In 2012 the NGO Shikhar Yuva Manch, in collaboration with SF Consultant, took the initiative to become a catalyst of change in this small village.
A Common Facility Center (CFC) for the bamboo artisans in the village was established under SFURTI. Bansi Lal, Kholbahra Manjhi, Chandika Manjhi, Manmati Manjhi and other artisans started to take advantage of the new and fast modern machines provided under the scheme.
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They started to utilize this technology in combination with their traditional bamboo craft knowledge to produce better finished products such as supa, tokni and other home utility products. The artisans are now earning a monthly income of Rs 2000-3000 from the CFC.
This has helped the artisans greatly in uplifting their lives. The cluster formed through SFURTI has aided the tribal population with an additional source of earning.
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The Kantha embroidery and stitching craft has always been integral to the Shyamnagar village in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. Kantha embroidery and stitching is a very skill-intensive work and thanks to SFURTI, the craft is now growing and providing better livelihood to villagers.
The story of Smt Jharana Sikari, a 32-year-old woman who works with the cluster, is particularly inspiring and full of hope. Afflicted by domestic violence from her in-laws, she started working in the cluster to access better economic opportunities.
While working here she developed an entrepreneurial spirit. Overcoming the odds Jharna started attending the CFC and took training in Kantha artwork. She soon became a leader and started engaging with the cluster and other training initiatives.
At present Jharna is engaged in saree embroidery work and earns Rs. 3000-4000 per month.
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She is now a prominent member of the cluster-level working committee and looks forward to contributing more for the cluster.
The villages in Lakhtar taluka are known for their traditional Navratri celebration and decorative temples.
The families in Lilapur village have a long history of working on patchwork designs and embroidery. Handmade crafts are a source of employment for thousands of families.
Women in Lilapur took the opportunities under SFURTI initiative to start a venture in making sustainable handicraft products by practicing their art. It opened a new income source for them.
The cluster works in patchwork, zari embroidery and metal work. Gramshree, an organization working on women’s empowerment took the initiative for establishing the CFC (Common Facility Centre) under SFURTI.
The artisans are receiving training and further advancing their craft. The artisans manufacture beautiful quilts, cushion covers and bedsheets besides also doing embroidery work on suits for women.
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The cluster is also identified as an upcoming Craft Village Model cluster.
SFURTI is creating more amazing success stories of handicraft and handloom artisans. The scheme has given a new dimension to product manufacturing and the market of handmade artwork. The government has made sure that India’s rich ancient art and craft culture thrives with SFURTI.
The assistance in the form of CFCs and skill training have given hopes to artisans living in rural India. Now they have a chance to refine their skills using industry standards, find linkages to the market and meet the demands of global handicraft and handloom products.
The lead image shows artisans in Lilapur working at their CFC (Photo by Mohammad Fazal)
Mohammad Fazal is a technical advisor at Council of Handicrafts Development Corporations (COHANDS)
