Nearly 7000 participants, and hundreds throng 36th India International Trade Fair

By Paras Bisht New Delhi [India], Nov.19 (ANI): Swanky pavilions, enthusiastic visitors and a variety of items from across the world at the 36th India International Trade Fair. Based on PM Modi's dream theme of Digital India, the fair kicked off with nearly 7000 participants. This year, the partner country is South Korea but it is the huge variety of items available in the pavilions of different states that is attracting the visitors and all this is driven by the Make in India initiative. From traditional waistcoats of Uttrakhand, to precious stones and jewelry from Myanmar, Silk sarees from Bangladesh and the traditional handcrafted carpets and pomegranate from Afghanistan, there's a lot to choose from. The fair showcases a repertoire of Indian handicrafts and handlooms as well. But what interests the visitors most is the theme pavilion of Digital India. It showcases the government's various digital initiatives. Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad was effusive when he talked about 'Digital India' drive, and how this initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has widened since its launch. Ravi Shankar Prasad, Minister of Information Technology, said that "In a population of over 1.25 billion people, India is home to over 1.05 billion mobile phones. We have 107 Aadhar cards and 50 crore internet connection by October 2016. The rising base of start-ups is also very good" The pavilion following the theme of Digital India is the Skill India Pavilion. It showcases an array of interactive and digital solutions inspiring the youth. Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Mos (IC), Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship said "The honorable Prime Minister has given us the biggest scheme by the name Skill India Mission. This ministry was started two years back and hence it is our second year in Trade Fair in Pragati Maidan. The interactive and the friendly stalls and the major work which has been going on in the entire country under Skill India we can see all this in Trade Fair. I think this program has taken off well in India". At Uttrakhand pavilion, the centre of attraction was the handmade shawls and woolen jackets. Products with reasonable rates attracted the customers. Rajkumar, Exhibitor at Uttrakhand Pavilion says "I have been coming to Pragati Maidan for nearly 8 years. This time our unique feature is Shawls from Uttrakhand. They are completely hand-made and are very cheap and our customers are very much attracted to this". Y P Shah, Visitor from Patna adds "I am praising Uttrakhand materials. The items which are displayed are very good. Moreover, the quality of the products is satisfactory. The men's waistcoat I liked the most in the Uttrakhand pavilion. The unique features and colors are really appreciable. Apart from that, women and men's shawls are very good and I have purchased the one. The prices are reasonable". Jewellery, precious stones and gems also caught the fancy of people visiting the exhibition. People thronged the stalls throughout the day to experience the unique eye-catching jewelry of Myanmar. Bangladeshi sarees were another major attraction. The pavilion drew a large number of Indian women interested in sarees. In Afghanistan pavilion, the traditional carpets, Afghani dry fruits and Pomegranate juice corner attracted most of the visitors. Qudoos, Exhibitor from Afghanistan adds "The displayed material is the Afghani traditional carpet. People can use these carpets for a very long time. We are participating in this fair for many years. Many Indian customers are liking our products". Over the years, the India International Trade Fair has evolved as a major event for the business community. It is a major tourist attraction and lakhs of people visit the fair every year. It provides a common platform to manufacturers, traders, exporters and importers. (ANI)