Bangalore August 7, 2023: Flipkart, India's homegrown e-commerce marketplace, joined hands with the Government of Gujarat on the National Handloom Day through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Commissioner of Cottage & Rural Industries, Government of Gujarat, under the Flipkart Samarth program.

The MoU aims to digitize local businesses that focus on the development of crafts and to revive languishing crafts in the state. The Flipkart Samarth program will provide national market access through the Flipkart marketplace. As part of this MoU, Flipkart Samarth and the Cottage & Rural Industries department, through its flagship program Hastkala Setu Yojana, will be supporting MSMEs, artisans, weavers, and craftsmen with strategic insights and market know-how to scale their products.

The MoU was exchanged in the presence of Shri Balvantsinh Rajput (Hon'ble Minister Industries, Micro, Small and Medium Industries, Cottage, Khadi and Rural Industries, Civil Aviation, Labour and Employment), Shri Jagdish Panchal (Hon'ble Minister of State Co-operation, Salt Industries, etc.), and other dignitaries.

Shri Balvantsinh Rajput, Hon'ble Minister Industries, Micro, Small and Medium Industries, Cottage, Khadi and Rural Industries, Civil Aviation, Labour and Employment, said, "This MoU symbolizes a significant step forward in the commitment to empower and uplift the talented local artisans, weavers, and small businesses across our state. E-commerce will empower them to exhibit their products to a wider audience. This strategic alliance perfectly aligns with the Govt. of Gujarat's vision to drive economic and social progress in our region while cherishing and preserving our rich cultural heritage."

Rajneesh Kumar, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Flipkart Group, said, "We are excited to collaborate with the Commissioner of Rural and Cottage Industries, Gujarat, and discover avenues for growth by leveraging Flipkart's capabilities and expertise. Through our Flipkart Samarth initiative, we have significantly augmented the government's Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat mission by positively influencing the livelihoods of more than a million artisans, weavers, and craftsmen all over India."

Flipkart's partnership with the Cottage & Rural Industries department will be aligned with the following objectives:

Creating employment prospects and uplifting the lives of artisans and weavers.

Creating mutually shared value in Gujarat, focusing on increased market access, linkage, and business inclusion opportunities for artisans and weavers.

Supporting local artisans with warehousing, account management, cataloging, and more services to help them achieve business excellence through the platform.

Building a stronger foundation for the Flipkart Samarth initiative in the state while aiming to digitize local businesses and enable national market access for artisans and weavers.

Providing time-bound support, including training and other host of benefits for the growth of weavers and artisans.

About Flipkart Samarth

Flipkart Samarth is a nationwide initiative that has already helped over 1.5 million skilled artisan communities set up their business on the Flipkart ecommerce platform, transparently and cost-effectively. The program was launched in 2019 as a sustainable and inclusive platform that empowers underserved indigenous communities and businesses with new growth opportunities and better livelihoods. Flipkart Samarth currently supports over a million artisans, weavers and craftsmen across India.

About the Flipkart Group

The Flipkart Group is one of India's leading digital commerce entities and includes group companies Flipkart, Myntra, Flipkart Wholesale, Flipkart Health+, and Cleartrip. Established in 2007, Flipkart has enabled millions of sellers, merchants, and small businesses to participate in India's digital commerce revolution. The marketplace offers over 150 million products across 80+ categories, with a registered customer base of more than 450 million. Today, there are over 11 lakh sellers on the platform. Flipkart is known for pioneering services such as Cash on Delivery, No Cost EMI and easy returns.

For more information, please write to media@flipkart.com.