JONAI, April 19 - As a part of its ongoing awareness campaign on Bharat Interface for �Money (BHIM)� and its application, the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH), New Delhi in collaboration with the Guwahati-based Women Development Centre (WDC) conducted a day-long artisan camp at Ujani-Bijoypur village near here recently.
Addressing the day-long camp, Executive Director of EPCH, Rakesh Kumar informed that the Union Ministry of Textile was carrying out special campaign to make the rural artisans aware on BHIM App and its usage to promote easy and fast transaction through mobile phones. He said that BHIM is a software application (App) designed to facilitate payment transactions by using Unified Payment Interface (UPI) as it facilitates direct bank-to-bank payment and immediate collection of money by using mobile phone. He urged the registered artisans to download the App and avail the opportunity of mobile banking.
Explaining the objective of the meeting, WDC Project Director Bhagyawati Bhuyan said their motto was to help the woman artisans to promote handicraft activities for their economic enhancement. She suggested the woman artisans to use BHIM App to register on the India Handmade Bazar Portal to sell their weaving and other handicraft products. The WDC is organising a three-month training on handicrafts (home d�cor attire of Mising tribals) under the Livelihood Entrepreneurship Development Programme, which is going on at Jonai in Dhemaji district, and is scheduled to conclude on May 22, she informed.
According to WDC, there are 7,000 tribal woman artisans in Dhemaji district, out of which 207 artisans have been issued I-card by the Handicrafts Department.
District Development Manager of NABARD, Samarendra Das informed the participants that his institution grants financial assistance to SHGs involved in handicrafts and horticulture activities. He advised the women SHG members to register their units for availing financial benefits.
Among others, Regional Director (DC) of Handicrafts, Nira Laxmi Palai, EPCH State Project Officer Bhaskar Barua, EPCH Project Coordinator Abhinash Hazarika, AGVB Branch Manager Pulin Handique, Assistant Director (Handicrafts), Jorhat, Rajen Singh and others also spoke on the occasion.
