1.Cluster Overview

Before independence, Kalpi was among few centers in the country where the art of creating paper from waste material was popular. Many entrepreneurs as well as the local artisans are engaged in manufacturing and supplying a superior collection of Handmade Paper in Kalpi. The craft of making handmade paper from wastepaper and cloth strings is prominent even today in Kalpi.
The produced paper from the waste is used to make a variety of products. Jalaun is known for its specialization in providing Handmade Paper with different designs and patterns in different thicknesses and sizes which are suitable for a variety of decorative purpose.
The figure alongside depicts key facts pertaining to the district.5

2. Product Profile

Handmade paper production has low capital investment, thereby promoting local entrepreneurship, it generates local employment opportunities; it is an environmentally sound technology, depleting less resources and causing less pollution than paper mill factories; and it can produce certain specialized varieties of paper, for example, watermark, filter paper and drawing sheets, etc. The cost difference between handmade paper and mill made paper is marginal. The concern about the disappearance of forests, coupled with renewed interest in the quality of papers generated new study of the paper maker's materials, especially the pulps and fibers.
Handmade paper is used for office stationery, writing pads, conference folders, computer printouts, drawing and documentation sheets, certificate and degree awards, for making fancy products and diaries, for making photo frames, paper bag and variety of other decorative and show case products.

3. Product Profile

The following are the key products manufactured in the cluster:

• Card Sheet
• Carry Bag
• Writing Paper
• Writing Paper
• File Board
• File Cover
• File Cover
• File Cover

Price of the products varies from Rs 10/- to Rs 1000/- per item depending on the size,patterns, designs etc.

4. Cluster Stakeholders

The following are the key stakeholders:

• Artisans
• Units and Unitholders
• District Industries Centre (DIC), Orai
• Commercial banks and financial institutes
• KVIB at Orai
• NRLM at Orai

5. Challenges and interventions Required

Parameter	Challenges	Intervention
Raw materials	► The cost of raw materials available locally in district is approx. twice in comparison to material available outside the city. Thus, majority of the raw material is procured from Kolkata, Kanpur, Agra, Panipat, Surat, Coimbatore, Indore & Delhi ► Long processing time of Raw Material as traditional methods are in practice ► Facing a lot of problem, in moving of raw material from open place to processing machine. ► Insufficient space for processing, storage of raw materials	Hard Interventions: Establishment of a Raw Material Bank (RMB) within the cluster ensuring current demand of raw material required at the cluster. Moreover, for ensuring easy access, the RMB can reduce the selling price of the materials Soft Intervention: Creating awareness amongst daily wage artisans to leverage working capital loan from the banks to procure raw material.
Designing and product range	► Limited knowledge on importance of expanding the product range and palette	Hard intervention: ► Establishment of Innovation centre within the cluster Soft intervention
	► Entrepreneurs are not producing Innovative/new designed products	► Engaging UPHDMC to work on the design aspects of Jalaun’s Handmade Paper Industry
Power/ Electricity
Power/ Electricity	► Current scenario of electricity is not that good in Kalpi cluster area. ► Supply of electricity is limited to ~ 12 to 15hrs in a day. ► No timing of power cut. ► Workers remain idle during power cut.	Hard intervention: ► Establishment of 1 MW solar power unit for continues operation and mitigate the risk of production loss.
Branding and Marketing	► The cluster actors do not undertake any marketing strategy, as most of them are unaware of the marketing techniques and principles which are to be implemented for increasing sales and undertaking direct orders. ► Limited interest and knowledge about sales through e-commerce platforms and online marketing. ► Negligible knowledge on marketing events and their importance. ► Lack of promotion of the products amongst the masses. ► Lack of proper branding and limited knowledge and awareness on the strategies to be applied	► A documentary film should be developed to highlight the history and the production process. ► Collaboration with ecommerce companies like Amazon, Flipkart etc. ► The DGFT/FIEO can set targets for participating in events per year. Example: Participation in at least 3 international events for this sector every year to create foreign linkages and increase awareness.
Environment	► Cluster units are struggling with understanding and complying. with environmental regulations. ► The production process generate waste that needs to be properly treated or recycled, such as pulp residues and water pollutants.	► Establishment of Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP).

6. Stakeholders Consultation

The meeting began at 1:00 PM on 19th November 2024, in the Government Industrial Area, Kalpi, in the presence of ACI, Jalaun and Zonal Consultant, Jhansi Mandal, UP, with participation from micro and small units, artisans, traders and others. Attendees shared their perspectives on key issues, including infrastructure, skills, marketing among others.