The government today said it has exempted the handicrafts sector from minimum salary condition of Rs 16.25 lakh per annum for giving employment visa to foreign designers for two years till June 30, 2020.
According to an official statement, the move to exempt the handicrafts sector will help exporters hire international designers as per their requirement.
Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) had sought the intervention of Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani for getting the exemption from the minimum salary condition for grant of employment visa to foreign designers.
EPCH Chairman O P Prahladka said that inputs of skilled international designers will help drive innovations, new product developments and traditional craft material processing in this sector.
"This exemption will help Indian handicrafts exporters to develop products in sync with international trends," he added.
The shipments from the handicrafts sector during April-May period registered a growth of 3.05 per cent in Rupee terms and stood at Rs 3,782 crore.
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