Govt to conduct second census of handicraft artisans
Press Trust of India, India
New Delhi, Dec 20 (PTI) Government has decided to conduct the second census of handicrafts artisans to find out their economic status and use the inputs in policy making.
“The second census will cover 20 per cent of districts every year to generate national level estimates of the handicraft sector,” Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) Sanjay Agarwal told PTI.
The first census of handicraft artisans were carried out in 1995-96, which estimated that there were about 47.61 lakh artisans mostly inhabitants of rural areas, he said.
The second census, among other things, will take stock of the number of people engaged in handicrafts sector, their production level, economic status, sources of working capital and average wage rate.
The second handicraft artisans census, for which the Ministry of Textiles today invited Expression of Interest (EoI) from public and private sector agencies, will be spread over five years and will form part of programmes scheduled for implementation during the Eleventh Five Year Plan (2010-12).
The bidders, according to the ministry, should have presence in at least five states and must have conducted similar surveys at national level in the past.
According to the 1995-96 census, there were about 12.64 lakh artisans in the northern region; 11.77 lakh in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand; 8.37 lakh in West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa and Jharkhand; and 8.89 lakh in north eastern states. Besides, there were 3.07 lakh artisans in the western region and 2.87 lakh in the southern region. PTI