Project
 
Craft documentation was introduced in the curriculum, with the idea of sensitizing design students who came from city background towards regional craft traditions of India in 1990. This gave them a good exposure to the rural crafts in there natural habitat where they were made by the artisans from locally available materials and using home made tools. The exposure resulted in developing greater sensitivity and appreciation of the crafts and the indigenous processes. Since this was a one time activity there was no long term association of the students and NIFT with the crafts and artisans which was much needed.

In 2003 when the curriculum of NIFT was restructured, an industry survey was conducted, and a strong need was felt by the industry that NIFT should play a preeminent role in bringing the craft legacy of India to the main stream. This need clubbed with the vision of NIFT for concern for social and human values led to the evolution of Cluster development initiative. This initiative has been interwoven with the curriculum of the NIFT, through which all the students across Design, Technology and Management visit the cluster after 4th Semester.

NIFT approached Ministry of rural development with a project plan focusing on clear deliverables. The Project was sanctioned by the ministry in five clusters under Special Projects of the Swarnjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yogna (SGSY) of Ministry of Rural Development, Govt. Of India. NIFT has identified 5 craft clusters and operationalized the project in five centers of NIFT which are as follows:
State Cluster NIFT, Centers
1. West Bengal Birbhum NIFT Kolkata
2. Gujarat Surendranagar NIFT Gandhinagar
3. Kerala Khozhikode NIFT Chennai
4. Karnataka Hampi NIFT Bangalore
5. Madhya Pradesh Dhar NIFT New Delhi


Funding
NIFT proposal was to intervene at holistic level and provide common platform for various Govt. and non Govt. agencies. To involve the state Govt. in the initiative proposals were made to various state govt. to contribute 25% funds for the project. Selection of five clusters in the first phase was made on first cum first basis. Hence the funding agencies for the project are Central and State Govt. (Ministry of rural development) in the ratio of 75: 25. And the total cost of the project is 15 crores , 3 crores for each center.