Government aims sky high for kite industry
The five-fold growth of the kite industry that the state government has envisaged may prove to be a difficult task as experts believe that the exponential increase depends on exporting the festival to other states and popularising kite-flying in a big way in the country and elsewhere.

A daylong workshop was held at Gandhi Labour Institute here on Tuesday to discuss the present status of the largely unorganised kite industry in the state and how its growth could be triggered.

Chennai-based economist Dr Gurumurthy who carried out an extensive survey of the kite industry and the various communities that is engaged in the production told The Asian Age that kite-flying needs to be extensively marketed and exported to other places to achieve five fold growth.

"The growth of the industry is not possible without government intervention in several areas and creating a pan-Indian market for kites," Dr Gurumurthy said. "Lack of institutional finance, storage for kites, poor technology and design are some of the constraints of the kite industry and this is where the state government comes into picture," he said.

Social justice and empowerment secretary Ravi Saxena said the state government has approached the National Minorities Finance Corporation to extend finance to the community for the development of the industry as 95 per cent of the workers in kite-making industry belong to the minority community.

He said at present Gujarat with 80 per cent demand of the entire kite industry in the country is the largest producer and consumer in the country.

"This is one industry where production is carried on throughout the year and consumption is over within two days. We are looking forward to a situation where the supply exceeds demand so that export becomes feasible," he said.

Social justice and empowerment secretary Ravi Saxena meanwhile informed that the state will announce the policy for kite production by Uttarayan.

Dr Gurumurthy who also met chief minister Narendra Modi said the state government has promised a positive approach in helping the kite industry progress.

Dr Gurumurthy said community economics is at the core of the development of any industry and the development of the industry has to be seen from that perspective to achieve the growth.

Mr Saxena earlier said though the state is the biggest producer and consumer for kites, the raw materials including manjha, tissue paper for making kites and the labour for the same is from other states. This does not make it cost-effective, he said.

Republished from The Asian Age