Handicrafts in India have emerged as a significant source of foreign exchange and employment. Under the Sixth Plan substantial expansion of the sector is projected. Initial field work and secondary sources suggest that this expansion may not be as simple as expected, and that its benefits may not be as widespread as intended. This paper reviews these problems and issues , and puts forward some preliminary suggestions as to how they may be resolved, to ensure that the sector lives up to expectations.
Vincent Cable and Ann Weston