Prayagraj: State govt has roped in the Skill Development Mission to impart training to women artisans in Sangam city to make Moonj products — selected as the One District One Product (ODOP) item for Prayagraj — more market-friendly.A 90-day training programme has been launched for artisans engaged in making Moonj products under the ODOP scheme. Around 100 artisans have been selected for the first phase.“The training will help Moonj products gain recognition in the international market,” said Abhishek Shukla, district manager, Skill Development Mission.Moonj grass is considered sacred in Hindu religious traditions, and demand has been steadily rising for items such as prayer baskets, carry bags, aasans and floor mats used in rituals. Officials said the eco-friendly nature of Moonj products has further increased their potential in domestic as well as international markets.Recognising this potential, the State Skill Development Mission has initiated design-specific training for city-based Moonj artisans. The programme is being conducted by Triveni Social Foundation, a partner of the mission.Foundation chairman Amit Singh said the first phase would cover 100 artisans, with 50 of them attending design training daily at the foundation’s office in PDA Colony, Naini.In Prayagraj district, over 3,000 women are engaged in making Moonj products through self-help groups. The biggest cluster is located in Maheva village in the Naini area. However, artisans said the traditional handicraft had certain limitations that kept products from gaining a stronger presence in international and online markets.The handicrafts department usually organises only one or two weeklong training camps in a year, which artisans said was not enough to learn new designs and techniques.Mansi Bharti of Maheva Purab Patti, who is undergoing the training, said the programme would help artisans acquire advanced design skills and improve the market value of their products.Nasima, another Moonj artisan from Maheva, said demand for customised products through e-commerce platforms was increasing. “We receive high demand for customised products through e-commerce companies. To create these, we need tools ranging from AI to other modern technologies, along with the know-how to use them. Our instructors are teaching us exactly this during the training,” she said.
