[1]The Tamil Nadu Handicrafts Development Corporation, familiarly known as Poompuhar, is in the process of establishing a craft museum here at an outlay of Rs 50 lakh showcasing the exquisite handicrafts wealth of Tamil Nadu.
It has been planned to make this museum attractive to lure visitors. According to sources, the visitors could also see demonstration on making the products. The craft museum in New Delhi is one of the biggest attractions in the national capital.
The project, with an assistance of Rs 26 lakh from the union development commissioner (Handicrafts), is nearing completion and is awaiting final touches to the interiors.
Once this is done, the craft museum will be made functional soon. While the state government has come forward to bear Rs 18.45 lakh, Poompuhar would spend Rs 5.55 lakhs.
The Corporation exports the traditional handicraft products like the bronze icons, brass ornamental lamps, rosewood furniture and Thanjavur paintings to Singapore, Malaysia, United Kingdom and United States of America.
The thematic exhibition held at Singapore in March this year received overwhelming response from the Indian diaspora and handicrafts worth Rs 34.20 lakhs were sold at the exhibition. This is considered as a record sale during the exhibitions organised by Poompuhar abroad.
Both on the home turf and abroad Poompuhar has been registering good profits.
From an annual turnover of just Rs 50 lakhs during its inception about thirty nine years ago, the corporation had gone up to achieved a record turnover of Rs 27.50 crore during 2011-2012 fiscal, which was an increase of nearly Rs 2 crore over the previous year.
During the 2012-2013 fiscal, it has planned to achieve a sales target of `30.50 crore.
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[1] http://archive.asianage.com/13poomppuhar1jpgcropdisplayjpg-566