New Delhi, Jun 22 (KNN) In order to restore the lost glory of the pottery site, the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has launched its flagship “Kumhar Sashaktikaran Yojana” in Pokhran - a small town in the Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan where India conducted its first nuclear test.

The KVIC distributed 80 electric pottery wheels to 80 potter families in Pokhran which has a rich heritage in terracotta products.

Pokhran has over 300 potters’ families that are engaged with pottery for several decades, but potters started looking for other avenues due to heavy drudgery in the work and no market support.

After distributing the electric chaak and other equipment through video conference, KVIC Chairman Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena said the exercise is aligned with the Prime Minister’s call for “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” and strengthening of potters aimed at creating self-employment while also reviving the dying art of pottery.

“Pokhran was till now only known as the site of nuclear tests but very soon the exquisite pottery will be the new identity of this place. The main objective of Kumhar Sashaktikaran Yojana is to bring back the potters’ community to the mainstream. By providing potters with modern equipment and training, we are trying to reconnect them with the society and revive their art,” Saxena said.

The KVIC Chairman has also instructed the State Director of KVIC in Rajasthan to facilitate marketing and sale of the pottery products at Barmer and Jaisalmer railway stations to provide marketing support to potters.

“Pokhran is one of the aspirational districts identified by the Niti Ayog. 400 railway stations selling eatables only in earthen/terracotta pots include Jaisalmer and Barmer, the two major railheads in Rajasthan that are closest to Pokhran. The state KVIC unit will facilitate the sale of their pottery at these railway stations given the high tourist footfall in these cities,” Saxena added.