Skills are never taught they are acquired. Importance given to skill development of tribes would result in creating more competent tribal youth relevant to the present day growth and development module.
The tribal handicrafts are specialized skills that have passed down through generations and are a means of exclusive or supplementary livelihood of the artisans. However, in the absence of any organized activity in this sector and the products not being adequately remunerative, there is a possible likelihood of the artisans taking up alternate livelihood options (which may involve migration as well). In such a case this age-old activity will die its own death. At this stage it is imperative to strategize development of tribal handicraft and facilitate their market access not only to help them access remunerative livelihood options but also to sustain the traditional tribal handicrafts.
The tribal artisan make many utilitarian goods for self consumption or for exchange such as baskets for keeping domestic articles, smoking pipes, footwear, hunting arrows, combs, storage items, wooden and stone plates, textile items like shawls, sarees and such putting typical designs and motifs. Although there is a huge market for tribal art, artefacts and crafts, that potential has not been utilized properly. There are many tribal crafts and skills that have geographical indications but they have been gradually fading away due to lack of promotional efforts.
The purpose of planning skill development training is to catalyze the tribal skills landscape in SDC districts. Many tribal youth have turned out to be skilled craftsmen without having received any formal skill training, thereby justifying their potential. These skills that could have become the market-maker have not been able to achieve the status because of many factors such as lack of market access, value addition, design development, and above all the lack of enterprise enthusiasm.