CEPC chairman presents handmade carpet sector agenda before Prime Minister

Ziraat Times News Desk

Kuldeep Raj Wattal seeks policy support under ‘Handmade in India’ vision to boost rural artisans and exports

NEW DELHI: Chairman of the Carpet Export Promotion Council (CEPC), Shri Kuldeep Raj Wattal, on Tuesday presented the policy priorities and growth roadmap for India’s handmade carpet industry before Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a high-level interaction convened for select Export Promotion Councils (EPCs) and their chairpersons.

The meeting, which also featured Union Commerce & Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, provided an exclusive platform for EPCs to brief the Prime Minister on their respective sectors’ challenges and opportunities.

Handmade Carpet Industry Gets Spotlight

The CEPC was among the few councils invited to the meeting and was notably the first to address the Prime Minister, underscoring the handmade carpet sector’s critical role in India’s export ecosystem and rural employment.

In his address, Shri Wattal highlighted that the handmade carpet industry employs over 2.5 million artisans, the majority of them women, working across key rural clusters such as Bhadohi, Mirzapur, Varanasi, Jaipur, Panipat, Agra, and Srinagar. The sector contributes nearly USD 2 billion in exports annually and commands more than 40% of the global handmade carpet market.

Policy Recommendations and Vision

The CEPC Chairman presented a series of recommendations to strengthen the sector under the “Handmade in India – Crafting Stories” campaign. His proposals included:

• Granting the sector a Very Special Status and Focus Product Scheme benefits.

• Extension of interest subvention and relief under Section 43B(h) to ease working capital constraints.

• Reduction in ECGC premium burden to lower credit costs for MSME exporters.

• Support for global branding and export promotion of Indian handmade carpets.

Shri Wattal said the Indian handmade carpet sector is well-positioned to lead the next “Handicraft Revolution”, empowering rural communities and aligning with the Prime Minister’s vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Vocal for Local.

Gratitude and Commitment

Expressing gratitude to the Prime Minister for his continuous support, Wattal reaffirmed the industry’s commitment to making India a global hub for sustainable and handmade excellence.

He said the CEPC and the artisan community would continue to work in partnership with the Government to achieve inclusive growth, promote exports, and uphold the legacy of India’s centuries-old craft traditions.