‘Development of Intensive Tourism cum Handicrafts Cluster in Phuldanga and Bonerpukurdanga villages in Bolpur/Sriniketan Block of Birbhum district, West Bengal under Cluster Development Programme of NABARD.'

The Project is based on the premise that tourism growth potential can be harnessed as a strategy for Rural Development. Tourism is one of the major earner of foreign exchange for the country and Rural tourism is expected to add more to what we earn in foreign exchange. Moreover, Rural tourism will hasten the process of development and give a chance to the village communities to interact with the outside world. It will also boost employment opportunities in rural areas and the products of rural artisan will find a ready market.

The goal was to build sustainable tourism opportunities through community participation, capacity building, infrastructure development, promotion of tribal art and culture, development of linkages with government & non-government agencies for the economic & social development of disadvantaged tribal communities.

The beneficiaries were the tribal communities of the villages of Bonerpukurdanga and Phuldanga in the Birbhum District of West Bengal.

The activities under the Project in the first four years of the Project included the following :

• Awareness generation and confidence building measures among the tribal artisans for taking up the training in order to create self employment opportunities
• Identification of a group of 150-170 artisans/beneficiaries
• Skill development training on a variety of skills including Folk Art-wall mural, Seed and benagrass jewellery, Wood & Bamboo craft (First level and Advanced), Terracotta showpiece (First level and Advanced), Leathercraft, Tribalcraft (Patochitra) and Sal leaf, Kantha, Folk culture (dance & music), Local cuisine
• Human Resource Development within community for rural tourism through training of local youth in tour guide and hospitality management
• Formation and strengthening of SHGs
• Credit Linkage with Banks
• Establishment of Marketing linkages
• Promotion of tourism
• Installation of 12 Solar Street lights in the village

Achievements under the Project have included:

• Total Number of Artisans trained : 150
• Total no. of Groups formed : 8 (All are savings linked)
• No. of Groups taken loan from Bank : 3
• No. of Artisans who got loan from DIC : 3
• No. of artisans who got microloan from other sources : 17
• No. of artisans who got DIC Registration : 2
• No. of artisans applied for Scheduled Tribe (ST) certification : 110
• No. of artisans applied for Artisan ID : 100
• No. of artisans who got Health Card : 11
• No. of Artisans applying for PF like benefit with Panchayat : 53
• Artisans actively participating in Melas, Exhibitions etc held in Bolpur, Kolkata and other places in the country.
• Linkage with foreign markets with design upgradation also established through Made By Survivors of USA.Orders placed for Kantha scarves, leather purses, wallets.
• Increase in number of Tourists & visitors to the village including foreign tourists. Important visitors to the villages have included British MP & former Minister Sir Ian McCartney and his wife Lady Ann McCartney, German travelogue writers Mr. Stefan Loose & Mrs. Renate Loose, former US Consul General Ms. Beth Payne, NABARD MD Dr. K.G. Karmakar, MANJUSHA CMD Mr.C. Chakraborty, etc.
• Exposure visits by school and college students held
• Dance Group members are being invited to perform at melas, exhibitions and other events besides performing for viistors & tourists. Income from Dance performances has increased significantly.
• The arrival of tourists also led to large number of opportunities for the cookery group to sell snacks and food cooked by them leading to increase in income generation.
• Microenterprise in Salpata platemaking running successfully.
• The Khoai Haat or Shanibarer Haat has also become a major weekly event for the artisans which is frequented by a large number of tourists and visitors.

Activities during the year concentrated on strengthening the credit and marketing linkages for the artisans and also promotion of tourism. Artisans participated in Exhibitions held in Bhubaneshwar, Kamarpara, Baidyabati, Mumbai, Poush Mela and events like Outreach Puja & Chaitra held in CTS, PwC, Unitech etc.

There has been an increase in the number of tourists and visitors to the villages which has led to an increasing number of opportunities for artisans to sell their products. Besides, the arrival of tourists also led to number of opportunities for the cookery group and the Dance Group to earn additional income.

After installation of 12 solar street lights in the village of Bonerpukurdanga , a Village Committee was formed for maintenance of the solar lights. A bank account in the name of the Committee “Bonerpukurdanga Gram Unnayan Committee” was opened. Village community members are contributing a nominal monthly subscription every month.

Two Skill Development Initiatives (SDI) were carried out in Wood & Bamboo craft (advanced) and Terracotta (advanced) in the two villages. There were 10 trainees under each SDI. Under the Wood & Bamboocraft, the trainees were taught to make attractive trays, folding chairs & tables, picture frames with tribal designs painted on it, trays made from wood and sitalpati, etc. Terracotta trainees learnt to make attractive show pieces, decoratives, penstand, tiles, etc. The trainees also learnt to make the “clay” for terracotta products which itself has good demand and market locally.