This was indicated by textiles minister Kashiram Rana while giving awayawards to handicraft exporters for their outstanding performance here onTuesday.

Rana said the strategy included two ambitious projects -- one setting up of anational level design centres at Moradabad and Delhi and the otherestablishing the India Trade Mart which plans to have permanent showcasesfor exporters and exposition area for organising product special tradefairs. The main aim of setting up the trade market would be to markethandicraft products to international buyers round the clock.

He urged exporters to tap the unexplored markets, including Latin Americancountries, Canada and Israel as well as to launch new products and designsto further boost exports.

The handicrafts sector has become the most vital part of the economy bothfor generating employment and for earning foreign exchange for the country.The sector being highly-labour intensive and spread all over the countryprovides employment to the weaker sections of the society both in rural andurban areas including women.

Rana lauded the role of the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts forinitiating a number of promotional programmes including UNDP WoodProgrammein association with the office of development commissioner forhandicrafts. Under the programme, qualified international designersincluding two German designers, have been engaged by the council to work atvarious craft pockets and develop designs as per global market requirements.

He noted that exports of handicrafts, excluding hand-knotted carpets in thecurrent year till December 1999 had touched Rs 4,669 crore, an increase of16.50 per cent over the previous corresponding period. The target for thewhole year has been set at Rs 6,050 crore.

The minister said that his ministry had set an export of Rs 6,950 crore forthe next fiscal (2000-1) for the handicraft sector other than hand-knottedcarpets.