NABARD, being an apex Development Financial Institution, has been instrumental in innovating, designing and grounding scalable social and economic enterprises in rural areas through community participation. NABARD has partnered with various channel partners including banks, state government departments, NGOs, Voluntary Agencies and other organizations in implementing many promotional / developmental interventions like Self Help Groups (SHG)- Bank Linkage Programme, Technology Transfer through Farmers Clubs, Joint Liability Groups, Farmers Producers Organizations (FPOs), rural livelihood interventions for farm and non-farm activities, financial inclusion, social security, etc.In Punjab, NABARD has, so far, 42,000 SHGs and 91 FPOs in cluster mode, besides rural artisans for enhancing their income through capacity building and skill development initiatives. NABARD supports various skill development / upgradation and training programmes for rural artisan, SHG members and others for income and employment generation. Marketing is one of the challenges faced by these entrepreneurs. NABARD has been supporting them in marketing through rural marts and deputing them in various exhibitions/ melas across different states. To provide them such market platform, NABARD Punjab Regional Office is organizing ‘NABKRAFT Mela- an Exhibition cum Fair’ from 17 to 19 February 2019 at Kisan Bhawan, Sector-35, Chandigarh. The mela is being organized by NABARD in collaboration with MARKFED as marketing partner.The NABKRAFT mela was inaugurated by Shri V P Singh Badnore, Hon’ble Governor, Punjab and Administrator U T Chandigarh on 17 February 2019 at Kisan Bhawan, Sector 35, Chandigarh.
In the mela, rural artisans, SHGs and FPOs from Punjab as well as from many other states such as Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Maharashtra have put around 60 stalls for exhibiting their various products. The Hon’ble Governor while inaugurating the NABKRAFT took a round of all the stalls and interacted with various participants. He appreciated various products and encouraged the artisans. He lauded the initiative taken by NABARD and emphasized that in order to sustain the livelihoods of artisan and SHGs and encourage them, continuous market support is required and more such exhibitions and melas need to be organised.Shri J P S Bindra, Chief General Manager, NABARD Punjab Regional Office while elaborating on the NABKRAFT and various other interventions of NABARD for rural artisans, SHGs and FPOs indicated that for the first time NABARD is organising exclusive mela to promote the artisans and FPOs. He informed that NABKRAFT mela is from 17 to 19 February 2019 and will be open for public from 10.30 am to 8.00 pm on these three days. He said that the exhibition of products at NABKRAFT will provide necessary visibility, marketing opportunities and avenues and also acts networking platform for these rural artisans, SHGs and FPOs.The various products being displayed include wooden inlay item, wooden art work, Dhokara handicraft from Odisha, Tribal Jewellery, Wood carving, Angora Shawls, Leather work, White metal minakari work-plates / utensils from MP, home decorative items, handmade applique work, coir work, handloom sarees, hand made wall hanging, handmade woollen clothes like muffler, caps, stolls, Lahauli socks, Kullawi Shawls, handicraft makram dori decorative items, Phulkari from Punjab, Punjabi Jutti, Tweed & Jute Jackets, Jute Bags, Jute items, organic products and various other items from above mentioned states.