Use less plastic, more eco-friendly material: PM to toy manufacturers

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday asked the toy manufacturers to use less plastic and more eco-friendly material, in addition, to focus on innovation.

Inaugurating the first India Toy Fair 2021, Modi said, "We have to become Aatmanirbhar in the toy sector and also cater to the global market".

He regretted India's share in the $100 billion global toy market is very less, and about 85% of the toys sold in the country are imported. "We need to promote handmade in India," he said.

The PM also interacted with traditional toymakers from Chennapatnam, Varanasi and Jaipur and exhorted them to innovate and make traditional toys more relevant keeping in view the changing taste of children.

He asked the toy manufacturers to make eco-friendly, attractive and innovative toys and use more recyclable material.

The PM said the government has prepared a National Toy Action Plan by involving 15 ministries with a view to make the domestic toy industry competitive.

The initiative, he added, is aimed at making India Aatmanirbhar in the toy sector and also increasing the presence of domestic toys in the global market.

The Indian toy industry has tradition, technology, concepts and competence, Modi said, stressing that "we can give to the world ecofriendly toys".