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Boom Times Ahead
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After a period of gloom, handicraft exports are picking up fast. Exports jumped to $46.87 million in September 2009 from $16.88 million in the same period last year. And exporters and the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH), a nodal agency under the ministry of textiles to promote handicrafts, are upbeat about the times ahead. "We have identified our weaknesses, and worked upon them," says Raj Kumar Malhotra, chairman of EPCH. "I am sure this would give dividends in times to come." India's biggest competitor in handicraft exports is China. "It is hard to compete with the Chinese, as their products are made mechanically," says Malhotra. "We have taken up the matter with the textiles ministry to levy safeguard duties on Chinese goods, especially during the festival seasons." EPCH is also changing its focus on unexplored areas such as Argentina, Columbia, Croatia, Hungary, Brazil, Portugal and Oman. "For the first time, we got orders from these countries. From now on, these would be our new destinations, other than the US, the UK, Germany, etc.," says Malhotra. DIRECT TO HOME With a plethora of options in the market, BW gives a snapshot of the competitive packages Dish TV Tata Sky Videocon D2H BIG TV Digital TV (Airtel) Sun Direct
EPCH is now turning its attention to capacity and skill development programmes. Recently, it added two community facilitation centres in Jodhpur and Moradabad, and 23 more would follow. These community facilitation centres help handicraft workers enhance their skills, and reduce cost of production.
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Who Is Offering What
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Transmission technology: MPEG 2.
Also available in trains, Kingfisher flights, and on the ships in the Indian waters.
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Transmission technology: MPEG2, MPEG4
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Transmission technology: MPEG4
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