'Hunar Haat', the flagship initiative by the minority affairs ministry to generate employment for master craftspeople, will make a comeback in September with a 'Local to Global' theme after an over five-month gap due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Minority affairs minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said on Saturday that 'Hunar Haat' had provided employment and employment opportunities to more than five lakh Indian artisans, craftspeople, culinary experts in the last five years and had become popular among the people.

'Hunar Haat', which provides market and opportunity to master artisans and craftspeople from remote areas of the country, has become a credible brand of rare exquisite indigenous handmade products, Naqvi said in a statement.

After a gap of about five months due to the coronavirus pandemic, 'Hunar Haat', which has become 'empowerment exchange' of artisans and craftsmen from across the country, will restart from September with the theme of 'Local to Global' and will have a comparatively larger participation from artisans, the statement said.

The last Hunar Haat was held in end of February to March 8 in Ranchi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his surprise visit to 'Hunar Haat' organised at the India Gate in February, had encouraged and lauded indigenous handmade products of artisans.

Appreciating the artisans and craftspeople and their products in his 'Mann Ki Baat' programme, Modi had said: 'A few days ago, at a small place at the Hunar Haat in Delhi, I witnessed hues of our country's diverse expanse, cultures, traditions, cuisines and the warmth of emotions.'

'The stories of the artisans' perseverance, zeal and love for their skill are inspiring,' he had said.

Naqvi said utilising the time during the nationwide lockdown, artisans and craftspeople had prepared their rare indigenous exquisite products at a large scale and would bring them for display and sale in the next 'Hunar Haat'.

Naqvi said social distancing, hygiene, sanitisation and use of masks would be ensured at 'Hunar Haat', whose venue was not decided yet as officials of the ministry were working out the details.

There will be a special 'jaan bhi, jahaan bhi' pavilion to create health awareness among the people with the theme of 'Say no to panic, yes to precautions'.

The Minority Affairs Ministry has organised more than two dozen 'Hunar Haat' so far across the country where lakhs of artisans, craftspeople have been provided employment and employment opportunities.

In the coming days, 'Hunar Haat' will be organised in Chandigarh, Delhi, Allahabad, Bhopal, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Gurgaon, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Dehradun, Patna, Nagpur, Raipur, Puducherry, Amritsar, Jammu, Shimla, Goa and Lucknow, among other places.

This time, people will also be able to buy 'Hunar Haat' products online also, Naqvi said.

The ministry has started the process to register artisans and their indigenous products on GeM (government e-marketplace).

Several export promotion councils have shown interest to provide international markets at a large scale for handmade indigenous products of these artisans and craftspeople, the statement said.

Naqvi said lakhs of master artisans and craftspeople from across the country were happy and excited that 'Hunar Haat' was going to be organised again.