**4. Micro-loans and challenges**

The introduction of products of modern technologies such as ceramics, plastic, and metallic utensils that are steadily replacing the utility of indigenous craft products in both urban and rural areas, is affecting the economic status of the artisans. Under these circumstances, artisans have lost and are still losing their traditional rural markets and their position within the community. This is chiefly true about artisan women. In the area, it is not the manufacturing industries that have been introduced but their products. If there manufacturing industries, they would have at least absorbed some of artisans. The consequences are many; first, the product is affecting progress of indigenous technology. Second, it is leading to widespread unemployment by destroying the labor-intensive crafts and reducing livelihood options; it is directly or indirectly intensifying environmental degradation. Besides, by affecting the progress of indigenous technology, this affects the positive interdependence between agriculture and craft sectors. Furthermore, enhanced machinery is hardly ever introduced in rural areas. Even when introduced, women are usually excluded from access to jobs in the new institutions by the associated criteria set for recruiting for employment. Another major challenge to the handicrafts women is that they cannot access the loans while living in far flung areas and they do not have any helping member who can help them to access the micro-finance institutions in large cities. They also cannot come to the big cities. Large NGOs and other microfinance institutions should focus on such small groups of women from backward areas; they should guide and direct women in the proper right direction so that their work is brought to the commercial level and also displayed in large artisan exhibitions. In an article, attention was drawn toward the tendency among governmental agencies and most non-governmental organizations (NGOs) over the past two decades to apply a welfare model to women poverty alleviation projects [15]. Since the 1970s, various developing countries and donor agencies as well as NGOs have looked upon women as indirect participants of development of a nation and region. Thus, most projects for women have concentrated on their reproductive role rather than their productive role. Women work need assistance and guidance. The government should take some steps to improve the handicrafts sector in Punjab and in other far and backwards areas too. The potential of the female workers should be creatively utilized and used in the development of handicrafts.

Women are disproportionately represented among the poor, and the number of women in poverty in the rural areas of developing countries is growing faster than the number of men. In 1988, an estimated 564 million rural women lived below the poverty line, representing an increase of 47% since 1965–1970. In comparison, the number of men living below the poverty line increased 30% over the same period. Factors contributing to the increase in rural poverty are economic recession, civil strife, and natural disasters. In addition, the rise in the number of households supported solely by women is an important variable explaining the increase in poverty among women. These households tend to be overrepresented among the poor. In both the urban and rural areas of developing countries, women are important contributors to the economic support of their households. In Africa, for example, it is estimated that 96 percent of rural women engage in farm work and 40% of small farms are managed by women. Because of this work, women contribute both cash and subsistence income to household support. Data from many countries show that the poorer the household, the more women work for income, and the larger the proportion of household income derived from women's earnings. In some landless households in India, for instance, women are often the main or even the sole income earners in their households.
