It is a fact that toys play an important role in the educational and social development of a child. Toy making industry has the potential to boost the economy of the country and is a big source of providing employment at the local level. Realising the tremendous potential of toy making, the government has taken effective steps like organising India Toy Fair-2021 and have brought changes through the New National Education Policy. In his inaugural speech, the Prime Minister of India Sh. Narender Modi, virtually inaugurating the four-day India Toy Fair 2021, has called for making India the next global hub for manufacturing and sourcing of toys by attracting investments in the sector and promoting exports. There are reasons to believe that in the field of toys, India has tradition and technology, concepts and competence. India can take the world back towards eco-friendly toys. It is also a fact that through our soft -ware engineers, computer games can bring the stories of India to the world. While referring to the traditional toy industry in India, the Prime Minister has underlined the need for promoting Handmade in India. If there is demand for made in India today, then the demand for Handmade in India is also increasing equally.
The Prime Minister said that “Today people do not only buy toys as a product but also want to connect with the experience associated with that toy. So, we have to promote Hand made in India as well.” The Prime Minister also observed that India’s share, in the USD 100 billion global toy market, is very small, and 85 percent of the toys in the country are sourced from abroad, the Prime Minister asserted that there is a need to change this situation. He said,” We have to become Atamnirbhar in the toy sector and also cater to the global market.” On this occasion, while addressing a large number of exhibitors there, the Prime Minister called for bringing out the hidden potential of the toy industry in India and to create an identity for it as a big part of the campaign for Atamnirbhar Bharat. “The first toy fair is not just a business or economic event. This programme is a link to strengthen the country’s age- old culture of sports and cheer,” Prime Minister added.
Modi referred to the initiatives of his government and said that the country has now graded the toys industry in 24 major sectors. He disclosed that National Toy Action Plan has also been prepared and this includes 15 Ministries and departments to make these industries competitive, the country to be self-reliant in toys and India’s toys also go into the world. Throughout this campaign, State Governments have been made an equal partner in developing the toy cluster
On the occasion, the Prime Minister interacted with traditional toymakers from Varanasi, Chennapatnam and Jaipur and laid stress upon the need to innovate and make toys more relevant keeping in view the changing taste of children. The Prime Minister added that the toy fair is a purposive and pragmatic platform where the manufacturers of toys can mutually share their experiences and may discuss toy design, innovation, technology, packaging and marketing etc. The world has done research on toys from the era of Indus Valley civilisation, Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa. The toy manufacturers in India have also been well advised to make toys by using things that can be recycled and less plastic and best suited to ecology and psychology.