Handicraft emporium plans outlet at Goa, Jaipur

Handicraft emporium plans outlet at Goa, Jaipur

By Sanket Upadhyay,

Indo-Asian News Service

New Delhi, July 10, 2002 (IANS) The premier state-owned handicraft and handloomemporium, Central Cottage Industries Corporation (CCIC), is set to openbranches at Goa and at Jaipur, two of the top Indian destinations fortourists.It is also mulling offers from the U.S., Britain, Germany and France tolaunch its outlets overseas, CCIC managing director Durgesh Shankar saidWednesday.While the Goa outlet would start in October, the one at Jaipur would belaunched at a later date, he told reporters here at a press conference."We aim to increase our sales by contracting franchisees to run our outletsin every major Indian city," Shankar said.The multi-storeyed building in New Delhi's central shopping district ofConnaught Place housing the CCIC, India's single largest super mart forethnic crafts, is already a landmark for tourists, both Indian and foreign.The emporium, which had annual sales of Rs. 570 million last year, currentlyhas branches at Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata and Chennai. The new outlets arebeing given out to franchisees.Although last September's terror strikes on U.S. cities, the December attackon the Indian Parliament and border tensions with Pakistan have affectedtourist inflow, the CCIC hopes to improve its annual sales to Rs. 650million this year.The CCI, which began as a tiny sales depot in 1948, has a reputation forselling authentic ethnic handicrafts from across the country. Many credit itwith popularising traditional art forms that were earlier dying for want ofmarkets.Its merchandise includes pottery and marble ware, art objects, metal ware,carpets, furniture, jewellery and among others.The CCIC received the Jawaharlal Nehru award for exports in 2000.- --Indo-Asian News Service