The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) has turned its focus from glamorous fashion industry to handicraft and handloom. The step includes training nearly 2000 artisans from various parts of Birbhum district of Kolkata, in handicraft and handloom, as a part of its consolidated cluster development project with the Ministry of Rural Development and its counterpart in the State.
Costing Rs 15 crore, this project is likely to be held in five selected parts of the country. However, a main project was already accomplished at Santiniketan and Nalhati in Birbhum district, this month.
The director of NIFT and Chairman of the eastern zone cluster committee, Mr Shantmanu informed that main project, the institute completed last month, trained around 100 artisans in kantha stitch, hand batik, artistic leather and macrame within the premises of Santiniketan and its report have submitted.
The main project in the eastern zone will be targeting Bolpur, Nalhati, Ilambazar and Rajnagar at four to five different intervals, next year.