The Policy Paradox: A Case Study on Government Support and Sustainable Innovation in Barpeta’s Handicraft Sector

DOI

10.2991/978-2-38476-533-1_45How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Handicrafts; Entrepreneurship; Sustainable Livelihood; Government Schemes; Cane and Bamboo; Training Programs

Abstract

The handicraft industry forms a crucial base for rural economies, cultural heritage preservation, and job creation across India. Specifically, Assam’s Barpeta district is noted for its deep-rooted heritage in cane and bamboo craft. This tradition is essential not only for safeguarding indigenous culture but also as a primary source of income for numerous families. This paper investigates the careers of three Barpeta artisans—Amen Deka, Manendra Deka, and Marjina Khatun—who have successfully moved past significant systemic hurdles to become respected trainers and entrepreneurs. Using a qualitative methodology based on in-depth personal interviews and supported by existing literature, this study examines their achievements, evaluates the efficacy of governmental support mechanisms, and identifies the challenges they face. The sustainable livelihoods framework guides this examination. Our findings demonstrate that key obstacles to artisan growth include financial scarcity, weak protection for intellectual property, limited access to markets, and a shortage of technology. Yet, their commitment to entrepreneurial creativity and extensive training programs underscores their remarkable resilience and tangible social impact. This research proposes practical policy shifts focused on boosting financial access, securing design protection, ensuring sustainable raw material sourcing, and accelerating digital adoption. This work contributes meaningfully to scholarly discourse on sustainable rural employment and social enterprise in the craft sector.

Copyright

© 2025 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Nibir Pratim Choudhury
AU  - Sona Khan
AU  - Amit Choudhury
AU  - Daisy Nath Choudhury
AU  - Prerna Deka
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/12/31
TI  - The Policy Paradox: A Case Study on Government Support and Sustainable Innovation in Barpeta’s Handicraft Sector
BT  - Proceedings of the International Conference on Smart Systems and Social Management (ICSSSM-2 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 753
EP  - 765
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-533-1_45
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-533-1_45
ID  - Choudhury2025
ER  -