e adoption of the following clusters provides easy access for decision makers and policy makers to have a look at the changes that have taken place or would take place as a result of DEF handloom cluster digital development programme. e outcome of these programmes DCDP will also help other clusters to adopt the same model and scale up their interventions.

BARPALI SAIDANPUR DIGIKALA BAANK-e-LOOM Located 340 kilometres north west of Saidanpur in Uttar Pradesh specialises in Bhubaneswar, Barpali is a densely populated weaving gamchhas and stoles or embroiderering block in Bargarh district of Odisha. In Barpali, suits pieces or sarees in zari. Saidanpur is home there are more than 1,000 handlooms spread to about 200 weaver families, while Barabanki UTTAR PRADESH across several pockets of clusters, each at a district has over 20,000 looms. Most of weavers distance of ve kilometres from the other. have not completed school, and live in joint RAJASTHAN Weavers in this part of Odisha are known for families where almost every member is their original ikat prints on cotton and Tasar silk. involved in the process of weaving. ese However, machine-aided printing is damaging weavers receive wages from middlemen and MADHYA PRADESH the market for handloom products as the former master weavers, and their average daily income can be produced in minutes and costs much less. is less than Rs.120. ODISHA

TELANGANA

TAMIL NADU MUSIRI KAITHOON MUSIRI DORIYA Five kilometres from Tiruchirappalli (or Kaithoon, a town in Kota district of Rajasthan, Trichy) is Musiri panchayat town. ere are is popular for its pure cotton and silk sarees more than 5,000 weavers in this area but known as Kota Doria. Amid a population of more than half the weavers have shifted to 20,000 - 25,000 people, there are at least powerlooms. ose who could not aord 3,500-4,500 weavers and 80 per cent of them powerlooms are struggling, witnessing a are women, earning between Rs.2,500 and slow death of their skills. While powerloom Rs.3,500 per month. However, this monthly weavers earn about Rs. 65 per saree and income is only a small percentage of the make ve sarees a day, weavers who make market price of the same sarees. is is sarees on handlooms earn anywhere between because the weavers live in information Rs.700 to Rs.900 per saree but it takes one darkness and are subjected to exploitation at person about three days to weave a saree. the hand of middlemen.

NUAPATNA CHANDERI NARAYANPET DIGIKALA CHANDERIYAAN d-IKAT A cluster of most talented weavers and national Located in the Bundelkhand region of Narayanpet is a cluster of some of the most awardees, Nupatna is located in Cuttack district of Madhya Pradesh, Chanderi is rich in creative weavers. Located in Mahbubnagar Odisha, about 70 kilometres from Bhubaneswar. It heritage, culture, tradition and art. At district of Telangana, Narayanpet is located is home to more than 5,000 weavers who make the present, there are about 4,500 weavers and around 165 kilometre from Hyderabad. e most intricate tie-and-dye ikat designs using mostly an equal number of handlooms in Chanderi, cluster is known for its hand-woven silks and natural dye on sarees, stoles and dupattas. Howev- which has a population of approximately cotton that sport a range of exotic and appealing er, lack of awareness and lack of direct access to the 40,000. However, the brand Chanderi was patterns. However, those weaving this exclusive market has restricted the household income of facing a sti competition from powerlooms, sarees make hardly any money, thus, making it weavers at Rs.1,500-3,000 only. e numerous which were manufacturing fake Chanderi dicult for them to sustain their family. cooperative societies established in Nuapatna have sarees, until project ‘Chanderiyaan’ was failed to have a desired impact. launched in 2009. From being worth Rs.65 crore, the Chanderi handloom industry has grown over the last ve years to be worth over Rs.150 core today. Training of locals to turn Creation of self-help groups DCDP into digital entrepreneurs for the weaver community In partnership with Digital Cluser Development Programme

Focus on primary skill Ensure benets to Setting up of Preservation of development of locals through access Technological design library as a traditional designs cluster occupants to to government enablement of repository of while incorporating enhance their entitlements and artisans to bridge traditional and contemporary employability, other government to the digital divide new designs elements livelihood, income citizen services and living conditions

Objectives

Creation of design Capacity building For partnership or more information, contact: Provide digital Training of youth as cluster resource centre, and tertiary skill English speaking Digital Empowerment Foundation literacy to locals ‘Core Master Digital fully equipped with development to training and Building No. 44, 2nd and 3rd oor, for increased Designers’ for computers, hardware, encourage entrepre- skill imparting Kalu Sarai, New Delhi – 110016 knowledge and providing design design software and neurship and to youth Near Hauz Khas Metro Station, employability services as entrepre- Phone: +91 11 26532786 training facilities self-sustainability of neurs to weavers cluster members Email: def@dendia.net Website: www.dendia.org

About DCDP Need for empowering artisans Scope Partners

India’s craft traditions and craft skills, passed on In India, there are more than 2000 traditional skill-based e project envisages implementing four major DEF has been able to successfully implement the DCDP from generation to generation, are not just an clusters covering various skills from textile designing, activities to accomplish an integrated development of programme in the various location through support from: important part of its cultural identity but a crucial handicrafts, and glass, leather and brass goods to wooden the clusters for long-term sustainable livelihood means of sustenance for numerous communities. industries. Out of 2000, there are 470 handloom clusters creation. ese include: Media Lab Asia: It has supported the Chanderiyaan project in According to ocial gures, there are about 70 in India. According to the National Handloom Census Chanderi cluster, Madhya Pradesh, by providing technological, lakh artisans engaged in craft production for their 2012-2013, the sector is providing employment to about Establishing and provisioning the availability of nancial and project aid. livelihood. As per unocial gures, there are 65 lakh people in the country — the second largest access to Internet and wireless connectivity as about 20 crore artisans who form the backbone of employment sector after agriculture. 1 basic infrastructure for seamless communication Ministry of Communications and Information Technology: India’s non-farm rural economy. within and outside the cluster or community e ministry provided nancial support to the Chanderiyaan However, most of those working in the sector are suering project in Chanderi. from exploitation, poor living conditions, extremely low Keeping this in mind, Digital Empowerment Developing skills of local youth and providing wages and inaccessibility to direct market. e hand- Internet Society: e society has supported the wireless for Foundation in partnership with the government or 2 specic training for entrepreneurship private organisations has initiated a project that loom-based clusters are unable to sustain their livelihood communities project in most clusters. primarily involves inclusive and decentralised use enterprise due to its very nature of being unorganised and of Information Communication Technology in a dispersed structure, lack of education, lack of inade- Establishing Design Cluster Resource Centre Microsoft: Microsoft has been like a pillar for weaver clusters in (ICT) and other digital tools in critical aspects of quate working capital, inadequate infrastructure, poor 3 enabled with digital tools and enough space to Barpali and Nupatna in Odisha. It has provided support to the cluster development, especially improving and institutional framework and absolute disassociation from hold community sessions or training programmes activities, given technological aid and shared knowledge. scaling up weaving skills, designs, marketing and modern technologies including digital and Information & entrepreneurship, besides creating sustainable Communication Technologies. Developing an e-Commerce portal, exclusively for Ericsson: e corporation has provided comprehensive support livelihood options for the youth in the clusters. 4 the clusters’ entrepreneurs, products, skills and to activities, technical knowhow and equipment in the weaver e development focus of the model allows the Hence, reluctance of younger generation to engage in services to national and global-level customers cluster of Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh. integration of both the social and economic capital their traditional arts and handicrafts is causing its rapid needs of the targeted artisan communities towards decline. Involving and engaging youth from the commu- Mphasis: e IT company has provided a holistic support to the inclusive growth. nity is, thus, not only an integral part of the process of project in Kaithoon, Kota district of Rajasthan, for the activities, reviving traditional craft but also of ensuring that it infrastructure, guidance and sponsorship. sustains as a viable employment or entrepreneurial option.