Phulkari Web portal - a digital initiative designed to promote the marketing of Phulkari and other handmade products crafted by women artisans associated with Self Help Groups (SHGs) under the Department of Cooperation, Punjab, was officially launched on November 20, 2024. The launch took place during a State-level event at Tagore Theatre, presided over by the Hon’ble Finance Minister, Punjab Sh. Harpal Singh Cheema.

The event witnessed the esteem presence of senior officials, including Sh. V.K. Singh, Special Chief Secretary cum Finance Commissioner Cooperation, Sh. Vimal Kumar Setia, Registrar of Cooperative Societies (RCS), Ms. Anindita Mitra, Secretary Cooperation, Sh. Girish Dayalan, Managing Director, Markfed and other dignitaries from across the state.

During the function Sh. Vivek Verma, Deputy Director General & State Informatics Officer Punjab, who played a pivotal role in bringing this initiative to fruition, was also present with other officers of NIC Punjab including Sh. Dinesh Sharma, Scientist F and HoD, Sh. P.P Singh, Scientist E and Ms Parminder Kaur, Scientist E. During the launch event, SIO Punjab briefed about the features of the portal to Hon’ble Finance Minister Punjab.

The Phulkari Web Portal has been developed as a Progressive Web Application (PWA), adhering to GIGW 3.0 guidelines. It has been designed and developed through NICSI empaneled vendor under the supervision of NIC Punjab, led by Sh. Dinesh Sharma, Sr Director (IT) and HoD Div-5.

This platform enables the Department of Cooperation/Markfed, Punjab to showcase Phulkari and related artisan products, complete with detailed descriptions and pricing. Buyers can browse the portal, place online orders, and make payments seamlessly through an integrated ccAvenue Payment Gateway. Additionally, both sellers and buyers can track orders in real-time.

The portal features SMS, Email, and Sandes gateways, ensuring stakeholders stay informed about order status, payment updates, and delivery notifications. Integrated with India Post's shipping services, the system guarantees streamlined logistics. It also supports multimedia uploads, allowing artisans to showcase videos, images, and documents of their products. With a Content Management System (CMS), administrators can easily create and customize product categories and catalogs.

Deployed at the State Data Centre, the portal is accessible at https://phulkari.punjab.gov.in.