Handicrafts Infrastructure (IATS) Statistics: Projects and Funding by Year
· 2 min read · 2 official sources
The National Handicrafts Development Programme completed 21 infrastructure projects in 2023-24 against a target of 8, and 28 in 2022-23, according to a Lok Sabha reply of March 2025. Infrastructure and Technology Support is the sub-scheme behind these projects. Year-wise targets, achievements and programme funding are below.
Infrastructure and Technology Support (IATS) under NHDP: key numbers
Infographic
NHDP infrastructure projects: target and achievement by year
Infrastructure projects targeted and achieved under the National Handicrafts Development Programme each year, from a Lok Sabha reply of 18 March 2025.
| Year | Projects achieved | Projects targeted |
|---|---|---|
| 2019-20 | 8 | 5 |
| 2020-21 | 8 | 13 |
| 2021-22 | 10 | 8 |
| 2022-23 | 28 | 7 |
| 2023-24 | 21 | 8 |
Source: pib.gov.in, as on 18 March 2025
NHDP funds sanctioned and released by year
Total funds sanctioned and released under the whole National Handicrafts Development Programme, of which IATS is one part, in Rs lakh. From the same Lok Sabha reply.
| Year | Funds released (Rs lakh) | Funds sanctioned (Rs lakh) |
|---|---|---|
| 2019-20 | 6,953.29 | 11,852.02 |
| 2020-21 | 8,600.75 | 13,866.02 |
| 2021-22 | 14,064.34 | 20,757.22 |
| 2022-23 | 13,129.25 | 22,293.52 |
| 2023-24 | 10,919.25 | 17,523.09 |
Source: pib.gov.in, as on 18 March 2025
How an IATS infrastructure project is funded
What the numbers show
Infrastructure and Technology Support (IATS) is the part of the National Handicrafts Development Programme (NHDP) that pays for Urban Haats, emporia, common facility centres, raw material depots and similar facilities for artisans. The Textiles Ministry does not publish separate IATS totals, but its Lok Sabha reply of 18 March 2025 lists infrastructure projects under NHDP year by year. In 2023-24, 21 projects were achieved against a target of 8.
The trend over the years
Infrastructure projects stayed small for the first three years of the period, at 8 in 2019-20, 8 in 2020-21 and 10 in 2021-22. They then jumped to 28 in 2022-23 and 21 in 2023-24, well above the targets of 7 and 8 set for those years. The 2020-21 figure of 8 was below its target of 13.
Funding for the whole programme followed a different path. Releases under NHDP rose from Rs 6,953.29 lakh in 2019-20 to a high of Rs 14,064.34 lakh in 2021-22, then fell to Rs 10,919.25 lakh in 2023-24. These totals cover every NHDP component, including marketing events, training and toolkits, not only infrastructure.
Urban Haats
Urban Haats are permanent market spaces in large towns where artisans and weavers sell directly to buyers. In July 2019 the ministry said 38 had been sanctioned across the country. No newer national count has been published, and the March 2025 reply mentioned only one recent project, the strengthening of the Urban Haat at Tirupati, which is complete.
What the figures do not tell you
The project counts do not say which type of facility was built, where, or how much each cost. Sanctioned money is also released in stages, so a project counted in one year may receive funds over several years. State-wise funding in the reply covers all NHDP components together.
Where to check the live numbers
The Office of the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) publishes scheme guidelines on handicrafts.nic.in. Updated project and funding figures appear in Textiles Ministry answers to Parliament questions, which PIB publishes.
Frequently asked questions
How many infrastructure projects are funded under the handicrafts programme each year?
The National Handicrafts Development Programme achieved 21 infrastructure projects in 2023-24 and 28 in 2022-23, against targets of 8 and 7. In 2019-20 and 2020-21 it achieved 8 each.
How many Urban Haats have been sanctioned?
The Textiles Ministry said in July 2019 that 38 Urban Haats had been sanctioned across the country. A March 2025 reply said one Urban Haat project, at Tirupati, had been sanctioned for strengthening in the previous five years.
How much money is released under the National Handicrafts Development Programme?
Rs 10,919.25 lakh was released in 2023-24 against Rs 17,523.09 lakh sanctioned. The highest release in the five years to 2023-24 was Rs 14,064.34 lakh in 2021-22.
Why is the released amount lower than the sanctioned amount?
The ministry told the Lok Sabha that funds are released at 50 to 75 per cent of the sanctioned amount under various components, so each year's release is less than the sanction.
Eligibility, documents and how to apply: Infrastructure and Technology Support (IATS) under NHDP full guide
Charts, data files and the infographic are free to download, share and embed with a link back to this page.
Sources
This guide was checked against these official pages:
- pib.gov.in (www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2113554)
- pib.gov.in (www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1578522)