Gangtok, Sep 2 (PTI): Sikkim’s artisans should look beyond the state and take their products to customers across the country through digital platforms, Lok Sabha MP Indra Hang Subba said at the Tribal Artisan Empanelment Mela that went underway here on Wednesday.
The event was organised by the MSME Development and Facilitation Office, Gangtok, in collaboration with the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Ltd (TRIFED).
Addressing the gathering, Subba said artisans and entrepreneurs have a key role in Sikkim’s economic growth and urged them to approach their work with a long-term vision rather than expecting quick returns.
“Successful businesses are built through sustained effort,” he said, stressing patience, continuity and the need to build enterprises that could benefit future generations. The MP also highlighted government support available to traditional artisans and skilled workers under schemes such as PM Vishwakarma. He said efforts would be made to ensure that traditional skills and occupations specific to Sikkim were suitably covered under relevant government schemes.
Subba further said he would take up with the Centre the opening of the second phase of PM Vishwakarma for eligible beneficiaries in Sikkim so that more artisans could access its benefits.
He also called for a shift from dependence on the local market, urging artisans to use e-commerce and digital platforms to sell their products across India. Sikkim has quality traditional products with considerable market potential, but better marketing was needed to translate that potential into higher incomes, the MP said.
Commerce and Industries Principal Director M Ravi Kumar stressed that producing quality goods was only half the task and that effective marketing was essential for artisans to receive the right value for their products.
Ravi Kumar encouraged artisans to use platforms such as Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho and the Government e-Marketplace, besides social media, to reach customers outside Sikkim.
He particularly urged artisans to regularly post photographs and videos of their products online, saying social media could help generate enquiries and connect local producers with buyers in distant markets.
Citing instances of Sikkim products fetching substantially higher prices in cities such as Bengaluru and Delhi than within the state, Ravi Kumar said identifying the right market could significantly improve returns to artisans and create greater livelihood opportunities.
TRIFED Regional Manager Pamthing Keishing said his team had come to Sikkim to identify and empower tribal artisans under the PM Vishwakarma initiative and connect them with organised markets and support systems.
Keishing described the empanelment exercise as an important step towards recognising deserving artisans and creating opportunities for the growth of their traditional skills and products.
Padma Shri awardee Jorden Lepcha highlighted the need to preserve Sikkim’s traditional arts by passing skills and knowledge to younger generations. He said he continued to personally train students in traditional crafts and remained committed to nurturing the next generation of artisans.
