VOCAL FOR LOCAL TOYS -TOYCATHON 2021

Recently, the Prime Minister of India urged people to be “vocal for local toys”, while interacting with the participants at the Toycathon 2021.

Important points:

• It was a joint initiative by the Ministry of Education, WCD (Women and Child Development) Ministry, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Textile Ministry, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and All India Council for Technical Education.
• It was launched on 5th January 2021 to crowd-source innovative toys and games ideas.
• To conceptualize innovative toys based on the Indian value system which will inculcate positive behaviour and good value among the children.
• To promote India as a global toy manufacturing hub (Atmanirbhar Bharat).
• Based on Indian culture and ethos, local folklore and heroes, and Indian value systems.
• Themes Nine themes, including fitness and sport and rediscovering traditional Indian toys.
• Participants Students, teachers, start-ups and toy experts.
• Prize Participants can get prizes upto Rs. 50 lakhs.

Significance:

• Toys can play a big role in highlighting India’s capabilities, art and culture and society to the world.
• Toycathon can prove to be effective in making India a Production Hub of Toys and hence can be the creation of ‘Toyoconomy’.
• Toys can be an excellent medium to further the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’.
• It will help reduce imports.
• Global toy market is worth nearly $100 billion.
• Of which, India contributes only around $1.5 billion.
• India imports around 80% of toys from abroad. Which means crores of rupees of the country are going abroad on them.

Way Forward

• Toy industry has its own small-scale industry, artisans comprising rural population, dalits, poor people and tribal population. In order to take the benefits to these segments, we need to be vocal for local toys.
• There is a need for new ideas to be incubated, new start-ups promoted, taking new technology to traditional toy makers and creating new market demand.
• The 75th anniversary of India’s Independence is a huge opportunity for the innovators and creators of the toy industry. Many incidents, stories of our freedom fighters and their valour and leadership can be created into gaming concepts.
• There is a need to create interesting and interactive games that ‘engage, entertain and educate’.

SOURCE: THE HINDU,THE ECONOMC TIMES,MINT