Hazaribagh, Aug 24: Jharkhand Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar on Monday said the state’s rich tribal heritage could become a stronger source of livelihood and economic opportunity if traditional skills and local products were supported with modern technology, finance and access to wider markets.
Addressing the closing ceremony of the ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Utsav’ at Thakurbari Temple in Bada Akhara, Hazaribagh, Gangwar said tribal traditions represented an important part of India’s cultural diversity and highlighted the community’s longstanding relationship with nature, collective living and preservation of customs.
He said tribal art, handicrafts, handloom products and other local goods could gain wider recognition if producers were supported with improved designs, quality standards, packaging and branding.The Governor said women were increasingly making their presence felt in entrepreneurship, trade, handicrafts, agriculture, food processing and other economic activities.
Economic independence among women, he said, could strengthen not only individual households but society as a whole.He noted that women entrepreneurs and artisans from Jharkhand and other states and Union Territories participated in the festival, describing the interaction as an opportunity to exchange skills, experiences and information about markets.
Gangwar said initiatives such as ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Vocal for Local’ had created possibilities for bringing local producers, artisans, small entrepreneurs and women into the mainstream of economic activity.He stressed that India’s development would be more inclusive when people in villages, tribal areas, small enterprises and women were given adequate opportunities to use their skills and capabilities.
Referring specifically to Jharkhand, the Governor said the state possessed considerable potential in traditional skills and entrepreneurship. He called for greater access to training, modern technology, financial assistance and markets to turn traditional arts and local products into sustainable livelihood opportunities.
He also emphasised skill development, innovation and entrepreneurship among young people while encouraging them to remain connected with their cultural heritage.Such initiatives could create employment opportunities locally and help reduce migration in search of work, he said.
Gangwar urged women entrepreneurs and artisans to have confidence in their abilities, maintain high quality and continuously innovate according to changing market requirements.He said traditional knowledge should be preserved while innovation should be encouraged to make local products more competitive.
The Governor expressed hope that events such as the ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Utsav’ would help pass tribal culture and traditional arts to younger generations while simultaneously promoting women’s entrepreneurship and economic self-reliance.
