BACKGROUND

The Indian Handicrafts through the ages fascinated the world by its creativity, aesthetics present rich cultural heritage and shining example of using local resources, skills and initiatives. India's handicrafts are almost inexhaustible with inanity varieties which have been refined during course of changing history. The cross currents inspire the creative impulse of our craftsmen. Further crafts are results of years of unconscious experiment and evolution; skills inherited and passed over generations from forefathers to sons and grandsons.

India has a long tradition of craftsmanship and it manifests in our culture, tradition & lifestyle. Handicrafts sector has played a significant and important role in our country's economy not only in providing employment to vast segment of crafts persons in rural & semi urban areas but also in terms of generating substantial foreign exchange for the country besides preserving our cultural heritage. of the country as they did in the past. In many cases this has been in hidden contribution since these did not necessarily get reflected in the visible part of our economy. rural inhabitants in the form of locally made

Products and services. With the advent of machine produced goods, many of our traditional artisans have had to face intense competition from growing industrial sector. However, the inventiveness of the Indian craftsman and the various efforts for the development that has been invested over the years in human resource development and in product innovation and promotion has strengthened their ability to face this completion with a great degree of success.

The handicrafts traditions that have been continued undisturbed over the centuries have to face the realities of rapid change brought about by the inexorable forces of communication and globalization.

The biggest constraint which the sector facing is Design Product Development, appropriate technology for quality and mass production, marketing of their products, especially in this era of globalization of information technology which has major influence Few of the major constraints/impediments being faced by the Indian handicraft sector are placed below:-

• Product diversification as per consumer market.
• Innovative Product lines.
• National / International Marketing.
• Product development & Mass production. Quality & technology up-gradation Merchandising Services.
• Mechanization in Manufacturing Process. Sustained Marketing Tie-ups.
• Development of Infrastructure Facilities at the Craft Clusters, CFCs, Design Center, Resource Centre, Permanent Marketing Outlets Focused Capacity / Skill Development.

Govt. of India Support

The office of Development Commissioner for Handicrafts is the national agency which works for the development, promotion and export of Indian handicrafts. The agency comes under the administrative control of  Ministry of Textiles, Government of India

The office of Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) is the nodal agency in the Government of India for craft and artisan- based activities. It assists in the development, marketing and export of handicrafts, and the promotion of craft forms and skills. interventions implemented through its field offices.

The assistance is in the form of technical and financial support, including in the form of schematic. As the nodal agency, the Development Commissioner spearheads the country's efforts to promote the handicrafts sector. The office supports the artisans and the sector through different developmental schemes through its six regional offices at Mumbai, Kolkata, Lucknow, Chennai, Guwahati and New Delhi and its 62 field units.