- the National Crafts Council has undertaken many craft training programmes to strengthen the skills and capacity of the craftsmen and provides training in the 20 craft clusters of handicrafts industry at rural level through the Master Craftsman Training Programme since 1985 and in addition, through the Handicraft Training Centres since 2009. Handicrafts which is a traditional national heritage, provides a formidable platform to showcase the culture of our country to the world. The proposal made by Hon. Douglas Devananda, Minister of Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development, to increase the monthly allowance of Rs.500/- paid to trainees undergoing training in the handicrafts field under the National Crafts Council, to Rs.1,000/- was approved by the Cabinet.