ANALYSIS OF CHIKANKARI INDUSTRY IN LUCKNOW

INTRODUCTION

Chikankari was invented in Lucknow during the Mughal period. It began as white-on-white embroidery. Pre-partition; the main buyers were from the Muslim community, concentrated to Dhaka, parts of Pakistan, Hyderabad and Lucknow. In the 1990s this industry shifted from being oligopolistic to a monopolistic one, with many new entrepreneurs entering the market. Today, Chikan embroidery in Lucknow is the biggest artisan cluster of India. It employs about 2.5 lakh artisans. It is an international market for its world known Chikankari work.

STRENGTHS AND OPPORTUNITIES:

Today, the annual turnover of this industry is ₹600 crore. About 15% of the total fabric production of the country is from Uttar Pradesh. Around 30% of the total artisans in India are employed in Chikankari industry. Also, this industry generates revenue of about US$1.2 billion in the state annually. In 2013-14, U.P.’s GDP contributed to 8.46% of the national GDP (U.P.’s GDP–886,410; India’s–10,472,807). Chikankari contributes to 8.12% of U.P.’s GDP (Annual revenue: $1.2bn).
Exports: Direct export of Chikan apparels is estimated at ₹60 crore. Indirect export would be at least ₹200 crore annually, thus the potential for export is very large.
Tourism: Tourism can help improve the sales.

WEAKNESSES AND THREATS:

* Unregulated market: Because of the lack of regulation, most of the women workers are exploited because they are denied minimum wages (Table 1) * Substitutes: Currently, the Chikan industry is facing a tough competition from China, because of machine-made imitations. These imitations have dominated the international market due to low pricing * Poor Branding: The fabric has not been able to attract the youth due to poor branding. * Time consuming: This hand embroidery is very time consuming process where it takes 15 days for a "small kurti" to 6 months for an all over saree * Health Issues: Also it can lead to eye problems for workers due to intricacy

GOVERNMENT POLICIES:

Both central and state governments are making efforts to promote Chikankari. This is being done by: * Opening workshops to train them to produce quality work * The U.P. Export Corporation and the U.P. Handicraft Board are ensuring fair wages to the chikan workers, and prevent exploitation * After independence, the U.P. Government was involved in reviving Chikan craft by setting up government schemes and centers to teach Chikan, provide free material, and free infrastructural facilities. Marketing was also done by the government

NGOs like SEWA (Self Employed Women’s Association) have played major role in promoting Chikan craft.

STASTICAL ANANLYSIS:

The following data is based on a survey of 104 workers: (28 Hindu; 76 Muslims; 6 cutting masters; 14 printers; 6 tailors; 63 chikankars; 6 washermen; 9 agents)

Income of the various workers:

TURNOVER PATTERN OF CHIKAN INDUSTRY:

Market for Chikankari products:

REFERENCES: * http://planningcommission.nic.in/data/datatable/0306/table%20168.pdf * Diagnostic study: Artisan the Chikan embroidery cluster Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, by Pankaj Arya, Shilp Sadhana (textile block printers association), developed under the cluster development agent training programme of Unido CDP, New Delhi & the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII), Ahmedabad and sponsored by SIDBI * Chikan Craft as a subsistence occupations among Muslims of Lucknow, by SSA Jafri,
Presented in National Seminar: “Emerging Patterns of Contractual Employment in Indian Labour Market”, February 28-29, 2008, Organized by Dept. of Economics, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow * Chikan set to get brand makeover, an article in Business Standard, Virendra Singh Rawat; New Delhi/ Lucknow April 9, 2009 * http://www.sewalucknow.org/about.html * Chikan – a way of life; an article by Ede Horton and Ruth Chakravarty; in www.speakingwithhands.com