Flipkart, trade body tie-up to help small businesses grow

CHENNAI: Flipkart, an e-commerce firm, on Thursday said it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Tamil Nadu Micro, Small Medium Enterprises Trade and Investment Promotion Bureau to serve local artisans, weavers, craftsmen.

The partnership, under the Flipkart 'Samarth' programme, would enable the artisans, weavers, craftsmen and small industries to showcase their products from the house of Flipkart.

The trade bureau would support Flipkart with its state- owned affiliated enterprises and undertakings which work with the crafts producers and farmers.

"There are 294 industrial cooperative societies functioning under the department.

Many of them are involved in production of handicraft items, including GI registered products.

This MoU will provide these societies with a new vigour and link them to a national market for their products," Industries Commissioner Anu George said.

"Flipkart Samarth is a nationwide initiative which aims to help skilled local artisan communities set up their business on the Flipkart Marketplace in an efficient, transparent manner.

The programme seeks to break entry barriers for local artisans, weavers by extending incubation support which includes benefits in the form of seamless onboarding and cataloguing," Flipkart Group chief corporate affairs officer Rajneesh Kumar said.

The Samarth was launched in 2019 to build a sustainable and inclusive platform for under-served, domestic communities and businesses to empower them with greater opportunities and better livelihood.

Currently, the programme supports over 7.50 lakh artisans, weavers and craftsmen across the country, a press release said.