New Town Handicrafts Expo offers 47 pavilions for artisans to showcase products

Kolkata: The recently-inaugurated West Bengal State Handicrafts Expo in New Town has 47 pavilions covering about 2.30 lakh square feet where the artisans will showcase their products.

It was inaugurated on Saturday by State Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) and Textiles minister Chandranath Sinha along with state Fire and Emergency Services minister Sujit Bose, Minister of State (MoS) for MSME and Textiles department, Tajmul Hossain and Mayor of Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (BMC), Krishna Chakraborty.

Sinha said that his department is always trying to arrange a market for the artisans attached to the MSME sector. “Our department is extending all sorts of help to the artisans and trying to create a market for them through several fairs so they can earn more,” said Sinha.

The MSME and Textiles department has been organising such fairs every year for the artisans to display and sell their works. During the financial year 2021-22, more than 8,000 artisans participated in such fairs where the products worth about Rs 76 crore were sold. In the 2022-23 financial year, about 6,500 artisans took part in the fair which increased to 7,000 this year. During the previous financial year, about 14,000 artisans took part and business worth about Rs 107 crore was witnessed including direct selling and procurement of orders.

Last year, the expo was arranged beside the Eco Park gate number 1 but this year the same is being organised at the clock tower field in the city square of New Town. This year, there are 47 pavilions covering about 2.30 lakh square feet where the artisans will showcase their products. The space has, however, reduced. The expo will continue till February 2 between 1 pm and 8:30 pm. Apart from New Town, this expo also takes place in five other locations in the state that include Siliguri, East and West Burdwan, Bolpur and Bankura.