Flipkart, Maharashtra partner to merge local artisans into e-comm

NEW DELHI: E-commerce firm Flipkart has partnered with State Khadi and Village Industries Board and Maharashtra Small Scale Industries Development Corporation with the aim of bringing local artisans and small and medium businesses into the e-commerce sector. The partnership is part of the ‘Flipkart Samarth’ programme.

It will enable local artisans and weavers, craftsmen and smaller industries of Maharashtra to show their work and their products like Khadi, Paithani sarees, wooden toys, etc. A statement said that the workers will have an opportunity to showcase their other key products to customers across the country. ‘Flipkart Samarth’ is a pan-India programme which helps the skilled labours and artisan communities to set-up their business on Flipkart’s marketplace.

Rajneesh Kumar, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Flipkart Group, said that e-commerce can be instrumental in the growth of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the country by giving them access to the nationwide market of 300 million customers that shop on Flipkart. He added that Flipkart Samarth is an innovative idea which provides necessary support to the MSMEs and Flipkart will continue to reach such businesses to help them provide the access to e-commerce market.

Subhash Desai, Minister of Industries and Mining, Government of Maharashtra, said that the MSMEs play a vital role in boosting the strength of the state economy and is important for the socio-economic development of the state. He added that the state government, during the COVID-19 era, explored a lot of revolutionary measures to get better market opportunities for the local handicrafts and handloom industry.