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ChanderiyaanProjectCS:Layout 1 10/12/2012 5:29 PM Page 16weaving. DEF has formed an SHG reducing,thereby, spatial separationsamong the weavers. DEF got the permissionfrom the government to use thepremises of the famous Rajarani Mahal,which is now being used by the weaversfor weaving and for training on designing.At the same place, weavers gettrained on weaving patterns and embroidery.Due to computerization of the designingprocess the estimated time hasgone down from 10-15 days (when itwas done manually) to less than a day,thanks to the card punching machine.Similarly, it took the weavers 20-25days for setting the loom for a new design,which has now reduced to lessthan 3 days.The last stage of this supply chain is retailingand marketing. Through the e-commerce website customers can nowpurchase products at any time, althoughthe website is still in its pilotstage. DEF also provides information onlow price handloom and good qualitylow price raw materials. Along with this,DEF provides training on computerizeddesign and weaving. At the end of thesupply chain, DEF provides informationon different exhibitions. All these activitieshelp reduce information separation.DEF has also tied up with garment factoriesand has been getting the weaverstrained for sewing in order to preparemanufacturing apparels in the near future.Before DEF plans to exit theecosystem it created in Chanderi, itwants it to run in a sustainable manner.For example, one of the objectives is toincrease the number of looms with poorweavers, from 30 today to almost 150 inthe near future. Other objectives includerunning IGNOU certified and DOEACCcertified courses commercially, and registeringitself with MP Tourism. If theChanderi market becomes sustainablein the medium term- two years as decidedby DEF- (the government currentlyprovides a grant of Rs 11 millionto DEF, and MLA to support the project)-then it would be a real test of marketdevelopment as a consequence ofbridging market separations.the Chanderi town is estimated to generaters 65 crores ($ 13 million) of businessannually. most weavers have admitted totheir incomes increasing from rs. 3000/-to rs. 6000/- because of the Chanderiyaanproject. moreover, the projecthas resulted in making 90% of the weaverpopulation reduce its dependence onmaster weavers (large businesspersonswho acted as intermediaries in the supplychain), thus disentangling themselvesfrom their exploitative practices.16From Market Separation to Market Development at Bottom of India’s Socio-Economic PyramidA CAse study on digitAl empowerment FoundAtion’s ChAnderiyAAn projeCt