New Delhi, Jan 29 (PTI) Skills of lakhs of craft persons are being developed and employment opportunities generated under initiatives like 'Hunar Haat', President Ram Nath Kovind said on Friday.

In his address to the joint sitting of the two houses of Parliament, the President said it is a constant endeavour of the government to ensure that benefits of entrepreneurship are availed by every section in the country.

"Under schemes like Hunar Haat and USTTAD, not only the skills of lakhs of crafts persons are being developed but employment opportunities are also being generated," he said, hailing the two programmes of the Minority Affairs Ministry.

Under these schemes, women craft persons comprise more than half of the beneficiaries. These crafts persons are being connected to the global market through e-haat, Kovind said.

Later, Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, "Thanks to Hon'ble President of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind Ji from bottom of my heart for encouraging Hunar Haat , which has become 'employment and empowerment exchange' of indigenous artisans and craftsmen of the country."

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