Set up crafts village along Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway: Lahar Singh Siroya

New Delhi: BJP Rajya Sabha member Lahar Singh Siroya on Wednesday urged the Centre to introduce the ‘crafts village’ (shilpa gram) concept along new expressway corridors, beginning with the Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway.

Raising the matter in the House, Siroya called upon the union ministers for road transport and highways and micro; and small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to implement the initiative at the earliest.

He said that the government should mandate the identification and development of permanent, high-visibility sites on suitable government land adjacent to new expressways.

These sites would serve as dedicated marketplaces for local artisans and MSMEs to showcase and sell their products, he added.

Siroya suggested establishing a dedicated central mechanism to provide financial assistance and infrastructure support, transforming these crafts villages into state-of-the-art hubs.

This would safeguard the livelihoods of traditional craftspeople.

On the Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway, Siroya noted that several towns being bypassed had triggered an existential crisis for thousands of artisans and small business owners. Iconic, globally recognised traditions, including the GI-tagged Channapatna wooden toys and regional culinary heritage, had suffered business declines of up to 70-80%.

He specifically advocated for the establishment of a crafts village near Channapatna.