Thirteen artisans, including two master craftsmen, involved in cutting and inlay work accompanied by Ms. Saumya Singh, Asst. Commissioner Industries, and Mr. Hukum Singh, Statistical Officer of District Industries Centre, Agra (UP) made an exposure visit to Stone Technology Centre (STC), Jaipur on 24th March, 2018 and Mr. K. Vikram Rastogi, President, STC, welcomed them to STC office. 

 

Mr. Vikram explained to them on the possibility of utilizing services of master craftsmen in Jaipur and/or Varanasi, Conducting a small workshop involving carvers and inlay workers in Jaipur, Giving assignments to selected artisans as per requirement of architects/customers, Furnishing their special designs with specifications and prices for marketing of their products with architects and buyers. 

 

He also briefed them about the activities of STC in stone sector such as in education, training, consultancy, publication, fair participation,  providing marketing assistance to entrepreneurs, architects and artisans.  Subsequently, Mr. Vikram showed the visiting  team pieces of different types of natural stones - marble, granite, sandstone, kotah stones etc.  which are on display  in the visitors' gallery of STC and briefed them how these stones can be used for different purposes- inlay work, countertops, vanity tops, flooring and wall-cladding, making artefacts etc.

 

A separate discussion was held with  Ms. Saumya Singh and Mr. Hukum Singh on issues like Possibility of fair participation by artisans in India and abroad; Possibility of setting up a small project for utilization of waste in Agra; Possibility of setting up a cluster in Agra on the same pattern of Cluster as in Varanasi; Conducting  short-term course on soft stone for selected entrepreneurs/students at Government ITI, Amer in Rajawas, Jaipur; Undertaking/organizing any project jointly by District Industries Centre, Agra and Stone Technology Centre, Jaipur in collaboration and Selection of candidates for architectural stone masonry under IndiaSkill/WorldSkill

Mr. Ashok Kumar Master Craftsman desired that Mr. Rastogi may visit Agra to see the work of the artisans, artefacts prepared, problems faced by them and suggest possible solution by inducting appropriate technology for increase in productivity, safety, reduce air-pollution and design development. 

 

The visiting team then left the STC campus after conveying their gratitude to Mr. K. Vikram Rastogi and STC staff for their being warmly welcomed in STC.