Development strategy for handicrafts cooperatives

The undertaking of the Project of which this Report is the outcome, became possible because of the interest and initiative shown by the then Chairman, All India Handicrafts Board (AIHB). His insight of the complex phenomenon that characterises the deve lopment of handicrafts industries in India and his commitment to cooperative endeavour in a way, outlined the contents and thrust of this Report. The Project team owes its unbounded debt to him for his encouragement at various stages of the Project.

Because of limitations of resources and gigantic work involved in covering different crafts centres in the country, it was decided that while undertaking case studies of five selected states, coverage might be confined to only 2 or 3 Districts in each state. As such detailed studies were undertaken in the Districts of Pune, Kolhapur, Aurangabad in Maharashtra; Banglore, Mysore and Simoga in Karnataka; Srinagar and Jammu in Jammu and Kashmir; and Cuttack, Ganjam, Sambalpur and Puri in Orissa. It is expected that difficulties reflected in these Districts typify the general state of development of handicrafts cooperatives in the country.