Date:13/12/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/12/13/stories/2003121302051100.htm

National

Adopt new marketing methods, Kalam tells small units

By Our Special Correspondent

The President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, presenting an award to Santhi Bai of Karnataka for craftsmanship in Banjara traditional embroidery, in New Delhi on Friday. — PTI

NEW DELHI DEC. 12. The President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, today called upon small-scale units not to depend solely on government subsidies for selling their products and said that they should, instead, focus on generating new types of entrepreneurships and training using the recent advances in communication technology and marketing, including the Internet.

Presenting the national awards for the best handloom weavers and craftsmen, he said it was time technology and crafts work was integrated and emerging technologies were provided to craftsmen and weavers so that they could add value to their products and compete better in the international market.

"When the roses of Bangalore can be auctioned over the Internet for global supply, why can't we use the same colourful medium of the Internet for marketing the extremely colourful and aesthetically pleasing products of our weavers and craftsmen through the medium of Internet marketing and e-commerce?"

Stressing that the marketing of finished products was a crucial factor in view of the intense competition from multinational companies, particularly from China and southeast Asia, he said the Centre and the States should analyse as to why a large number of cooperative societies of handloom weavers and craftsmen had turned sick and suggested that a scheme should be evolved by which sick societies may learn from successful ones.

Officials, administrators and technologists from the Government and the private sector who manage the handloom and cottage industry also needed higher levels of training at management schools and technology centres to enrich their knowledge on aspects such as quality assurance and market analysis, he said.