Flipkart And Govt. Of Maharashtra Come Together To

 Flipkart And Govt. Of Maharashtra Come Together To Boost The Growth Of Small Scale Businesses And Local Artisans In The State

• MoU signed under the Flipkart Samarth initiative
• Partnership with MSSIDC and MSKVIB in Maharashtra will enable the State’s local artisans, weavers and small scale businesses to showcase their hallmark products to millions of customers across the country

Flipkart, India’s homegrown e-commerce marketplace, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Maharashtra Small Scale Industries Development Corporation (MSSIDC) and Maharashtra State Khadi & Village Industries Board (MSKVIB), to bring local artisans, weavers, craftsmen and SMBs of the state into the e-commerce fold. The MoU to onboard local artisans and entities on the company’s flagship initiative Flipkart Samarth was signed in the presence of Honorable Industries Minister Shri Subhash Desai and Minister of State, Industries, Smt. Aditi Tatkare. 

The partnership under the Flipkart Samarth program will enable Maharashtra’s local artisans, weavers, craftsmen and smaller industries to showcase their hallmark products like Khadi, Paithani sarees, wooden toys, handmade artifacts, jewelry and paper products, purses and other key handicraft products to millions of customers across the country, further adding impetus to the government's ‘#Vocal for Local’ efforts. Flipkart Samarth is a nationwide initiative, which aims to help skilled local artisan communities set up their business on the Flipkart Marketplace in an efficient, transparent and cost-effective manner.

The program seeks to break entry barriers for local artisans by extending time-bound incubation support, which includes benefits in the form of seamless onboarding, free cataloging, marketing, account management, business insights and warehousing support. This will create avenues to increase business and trade inclusion opportunities for these very important segments of society.

The Government of Maharashtra has been leading various state-level initiatives to boost trade inclusion opportunities and provide encouragement to local artisans and handicraft makers. The State government established MSSIDC & MSKVIB to give a new orientation and strength to the development of Small Scale Industries in the State of Maharashtra. They play a vital role in the revival, development and growth of traditional village industries, products and handicrafts of Maharashtra by responding to the diversified needs of rural artisans and marketing their products in India and abroad.

Shri Subhash Desai, Minister for Industries & Mining, Government of Maharashtra, said, “MSMEs play a huge role in boosting the economy of the state and are vital to the state’s socio-economic development. In the post-COVID-19 era, we explored revolutionary measures to get better market opportunities and empowering the handicrafts and handlooms industry.”

Smt. Aditi Tatkare, Minister of State - Industries, Government of Maharashtra, said, “Partnerships like these will give more impetus to Khadi & Village Industries to scale up and generate livelihood opportunities.”

Shri Rajneesh Kumar, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Flipkart Group, said, “We are excited to have the opportunity to partner with MSSIDC and MSKVIB to enhance social and commercial development of local artisans, weavers and smaller industries while bringing the heritage of the State on the platform. E-commerce can play an integral role in the growth of MSMEs across the country by giving them national market access to 300 million customers that shop on our platform. Flipkart Samarth is a cherished initiative that provides these businesses with the necessary support, and we hope to continue reaching more such local businesses to help them reap the benefits of e-commerce.”

Shri Baldev Singh, Principal Secretary – Industries, Energy and Labour, Govt. of Maharashtra, said, “We are looking forward to this collaboration to bring valuable business knowledge to our handicraft makers and artisans and promote their hallmark products across India.”

Dr. M. Neelima Kerketta, CEO, Maharashtra State Khadi & Village Industries Board (MSKVIB), said, “It will be a good platform for providing an efficient solution for marketing village industries products. This will act as a driving force for encouraging rural micro artisans to earn their livelihood in a smart and modern manner.”

Shri Pravin Darade, Managing Director, Maharashtra Small Scale Industries Development Corporation (MSSIDC), said, “This initiative seeks to break entry barriers for the local artisans and will offer not only long term sustainable livelihood support but would also encourage artisans to conserve & pass on the local arts & crafts skills from generation to generations.”

Flipkart Samarth program was launched in 2019 to build a sustainable and inclusive platform for under-served, domestic communities and businesses to empower them with greater opportunities and better livelihood. Flipkart Samarth is now able to support the livelihood of over 7,50,000 artisans, weavers and craftsmen across India and is working towards bringing more such sellers to the platform. Recently, Flipkart also announced the availability of the Marathi interface for shoppers on the platform, bringing it closer to consumers in the state.

 

Akshara Centre in association with the Government of Maharashtra

Akshara Centre in association with the Government of Maharashtra urges all citizens to put #LockdownOnDomesticViolence

Link – https://www.instagram.com/p/B_Kzmq0H21L/?igshid=ya6q7njr1nk2
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_Kvy_fniNS/?igshid=n93gjalcp3ya
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_Kmt6KnOBR/?igshid=1rbh4uj2plcuy

Since there has been a nationwide lockdown and people have been directed to “stay home” to prevent the virus spread, cases of domestic violence have surged. Predominantly women who are mistreated are now confined to homes with abusive partners whose physically violent tendencies are further inflamed by economic stressors. This situation is now recognized as a ‘Shadow Pandemic’ by UN Women and countries across the world are seeing a surge in domestic violence   

Akshara Centre along with Special Cell for Women and Children with support from Government, the Police and supported by celebrities have come together to create awareness about the current situation. With a powerful video in English, Hindi, as well as Marathi, #LockdownOnDomesticViolence, urges citizens to fight and raise their voice against the brutality taking place in their houses.

The National Commission for Women record shows up to 257 cases in the first week of April and this has created great concern amongst women’s groups and activists to address the needs of women from all spheres of life who are playing an indispensable role on the front line in the war against COVID-19. Akshara Centre along with the Special Cell for Women and Children (a project of DWCD GOM, supported by TISS) has come together to set up priority measures to help domestic violence survivors, without detracting from the overall anti-COVID-19 strategy of lockdown. A detailed backend plan along with compilation mobile numbers of 127 Special Cells, 358 protection officers and many other services are collated and shared with 100 so that police and other service providers work together and all burden is not only on police in the current time. With support by The Government of Maharashtra, steps to protect survivors of domestic violence have been made a part of overall anti-COVID-19 action plans.

Eminent personalities from the sports and entertainment industry such as Ajinkya Rahane, Anushka Sharma, Dia Mirza, Farhan Akhtar, Karan Johar, Madhuri Dixit Nene, Mithali Raj, Nandita Das, Rahul Bose, Rohit Sharma, Sachin Tendulkar, Sakshi Tanwar, Shabana Azmi, Shreyas Talpade, Sonali Kulkarni, Sunil Shetty, Vidya Balan and Virat Kohli have come together asking women to take a stand against abusers and perpetrators of gender-based crimes. They urge people to not be bystanders but to report and help women seek help. Their passionate support to be a part this cause will be significant to educate and spread awareness about social crimes like domestic violence in our country.

Talking about this initiative Nandita Shah, Co-Director of Akshara Centre said, “This increase in domestic violence during lockdowns is not just an Indian phenomenon; is being reported all over the world. We know that containment measures and quarantine are essential to overcome COVID-19 but we cannot have women entrapped in violent homes where even making a phone call is difficult. The government of Maharashtra has extended their support to help prevent this violence. We would also like to thank our long-standing supporter Rahul Bose who has been extending his endless support to the organization.”

Commenting on his association with Akshara Centre, Rahul Bose said, “From my first-hand experiences from the 2004 Tsunami to the times of this present Covid19 crisis it is a devastating fact that calamities, natural or manmade, hit women hardest. During this lockdown period incidences of domestic violence against women have spiked alarmingly across not just the country, but the world. It has been my privilege to be a part of this campaign (which, crucially, is in three languages, Marathi, Hindi, and English) created by the wonderful people at Akshara Centre in partnership with the Special Services Cell and the Government of Maharashtra. A campaign that seeks to shine a light for battered women across Maharashtra, telling them that we are listening, women’s groups across the state are listening, the government is listening.”

Akshara Centre in the past has also worked with the government to ensure Gender inclusion in Development Plan of Mumbai, the safety of women in transport, setting up of Gender Resource Centre with MCGM, setting up of police helpline 100. It is well documented that during this war on COVID 19, women’s bodies are bearing the brunt of the crisis. Akshara Centre, working relentlessly towards gender justice has joined hands with the Government of Maharashtra to put an end to domestic violence during this period of lockdown.

www.standupagainstviolence.org

Nandita Shah - 9821898676

Nandita Gandhi - 9819109023  

Maharashtra woos tourists

Maharashtra woos tourists from Tamil Nadu

The Directorate of Tourism, Government of Maharashtra, the State’s premier tourism authority is hosting a three-day Roadshow in Tamil Nadu, spread across Chennai and Madurai. This is as a part of a concerted new strategy to welcome domestic tourists from Tamil Nadu to Maharashtra. The Chennai leg of the roadshow was held on 5^th Feb 2020 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel while the Madurai roadshow will be held on 7^th Feb 2020 at the Courtyard Marriott hotel.

Maharashtra, which has a variety of tourist offerings, destinations and products, has something for everyone, all throughout the year.  The Hon’ble Minister of Tourism, Government of Maharashtra Shri Aditya Thackeray addressed the audience through a recorded video clip; invoked the historical relation between the people of the two states and also stressed on the role tourism can play in being a harbinger of people to people connect between the two states. An excerpt of his speech is mentioned here under,

“The Roadshow showcased the various facets of Maharashtra, which has a coastline of 720 km and has many natural beaches, historic forts, waterfalls, hill stations, wildlife sanctuaries, 5 world heritage sites like Ajanta, Ellora, Elephanta, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Western Ghats, etc. The world's third largest crater is located at Lonar. The State also has significant religious places such as 5 Jyotirlingas, Shirdi, Ashtavinayak, Pandharpur, three and half Shakti Peethas, etc.”

Speaking at the occasion, Mr. Dilip Gawade, IAS, Director, Directorate of Tourism, Govt. of Maharashtra, said, “with the exception of snow-capped mountains and deserts, Maharashtra offers everything that India offers. We truly consider it as a country within a state. Adorned by the beautiful Sahyadri ranges of the Western Ghats and the sprawling belt of the Konkan Coast, the State is home to some of the most unique wildlife, flora and fauna. We invite our brothers and sisters from the South to come and visit the state and be a part of the magnificent experience that the region will offer.”

Maharashtrians and Tamils are bound by their penchant for spice flavored food, love for sea food and films. So, welcome to Maharashtra and take away some timeless memories with you.