NIFT, IIP helps UP artisans improve product designing

The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) and the Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP) will help artisans in Uttar Pradesh (UP) improve product design and packaging. The capital challenge of these artisans will be met by the Small Industries Development bank of India (SIDBI). Small and micro entrepreneurs manufacturing special products under the state’s ‘One District, One Product’ (ODOP) scheme can avail assistance under this plan. According to state micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) minister Siddharth Nath Singh, the government will soon sign a memorandum of understanding with SIDBI, NIFT and IIP. NIFT will provide better designs to the textile, leather and carpet industries besides conducting training workshops for artisans. NIFT would also develop a design bank for ODOP products, through which entrepreneurs get raw material, fabrics and colours as per the demand of overseas market, the minister said. NIFT will help in branding and promoting the ODOP products. IIP will identify ODOP clusters in the state, according to Indian media reports. MSMEs will get a digital platform on which they can get loans approved in just 59 minutes, he added.