ROHAN SRIVASTAVA | NT
PANAJI: The Goa Handicrafts Rural and Small Scale Industries Development Corporation has turned into a sick unit becoming an albatross around the neck of the state government.
A senior official of the corporation admits that the GHRSSIDC has been in the red for the last few years as its business in supplying iron and steel to small-scale industrial units has stopped making the corporation unable to generate revenue.
The supply of iron and steel to SSI units had been the mainstay of the corporation for many years.
The GHRSSIDC was the consignment agent for the Steel Authority of India.
As the business in supplying iron and steel to SSI units has stopped, the corporation now falls back upon “moderate” commissions by purchasing products manufactured by local SSI units. These products, including office furniture, computer stationery, PVC water tanks, RCC pipes etc., are bought on rate contract basis and supplied to all government offices, corporation, autonomous bodies, etc.
Former GHRSSIDC chairman Lavoo Mamledar gives a perspective into the loss-making corporation.
He says, “Steel business started slowing down in 2007, affecting the corporation’s functioning. The state government has overlooked it, as during the last five years the request for financial grants was not considered by the state finance department. Hence we could not conduct activities for artisans.”
The GHRSSIDC has over 2000 registered artisans who avails the training and indirect financial benefits from the corporation. But only a total of 600 artisans are active in handicraft trade, including approximately 500 clay idol makers and 100 other handicraft artisans.
Nevertheless the corporation runs various schemes for the artisans for participating in interstate crafts melas, exhibitions, e-portals to sell the wares. The corporation organises tours to other states for the artisans to visit handicraft establishments.
Moreover there is a scheme on subsidy for the artisans for making Ganesh idols of clay.
“Most of the artisans are hesitant to take their trade to higher level because their wares kept for sell in nine emporiums across Goa go unsold. And the main reason for this poor demand has been the higher prices set by the artisans. Besides, the handmade wares fail to compete with the machine-made products in the market,” the official explains.
Illustrating why there has been poor demand for the handmade wares, the official says that if the cost of a handicraft item is Rs 100 and if you want to purchase a similar product in the open market you can easily buy it for Rs 60. Hence the items kept at the emporium are not preferred by customers.
“Because of this we buy limited stock from the artisans registered with us as most of the items go unsold,” he clarifies.
The corporation purchases jute bags worth Rs 10 lakh from Kolkata every year. These Kolkata jute bags are comparatively better and cheaper than the jute bags supplied to the emporia by the local artisans.
Despite availing all benefits offered by the corporation, the artisans prefer to sell their handicraft wares through NGOs and other platforms to rake in more profit, he rues.
The senior official of the corporation is critical of the artisans for not showing keenness in attending training and study tours conducted by the corporation and thus losing an opportunity to learn more about their craft and innovations.
However, interestingly, the artisans themselves are critical of the GHRSSIDC management.
The high commission charged by the corporation pushes up the cost of their wares, they allege saying the corporation is being misused by those at the helm to further their own interest.
“They add (commission) margin of 50 per cent which is quite high, while the same items supplied to private shops attract only 20-30 per cent margin… Our prices have always been reasonable,” says an artisan from Pernem.
“They (corporation officials) stopped inviting us for the meetings for the last one year, as we raise our long-pending demand of loans, medical insurance and supply of raw materials through the corporation. They only invite a section of the artisans for the meetings just to meet with the formalities, and thus discourage us…” he says.
There are also allegations against the corporation of employing people who are out of their depth vis-à-vis handicraft.
A man running a small-scale industrial unit in Mapusa say the corporation has employed those people in all its emporia who are less educated and have no knowledge or experience in sales. They are poor in communication skills especially when it comes to foreigners.
He is of the opinion that corporation’s emporiums need to be relocated at prime locations so as to woo the customers.
Illustrating hi point, he says that “earlier an emporium was situated in the heart of the Dabolim airport premises. But now it has been shifted to a corner, towards a washroom. As there are lesser visits by the air passengers to the emporium, artisans’ wares remain unsold.”
The Mapusa businessman does not concur to the view that higher prices are the reason for the poor demand.
“I supply the same items to private shops in the cities where the items get sold out… and we receive bulk orders quite frequently,” he brags.