Excelsior Correspondent
-Excelsior/Amin War
SRINAGAR, Nov 20: The flood affected handicraft artisans and workers today protested here seeking rehabilitation and fulfillment of various demands
The protesters who were protesting under the banner of Jammu and Kashmir Artisan Rehabilitation Forum assembled in press enclave and urged Government to fulfil “promise” it made to them.
Highlighting the plight of artisans, they said that their units suffered heavily during September 2014 floods but Government has not rehabilitated them so far.
“In the rehabilitation programme, while some sections have received financial aid to restart their business units, the poor handicraft workers and artisans have been ignored,” the protesters complained.
They said that the interest subsidy on the loans advanced to this poor working class has also not been released till date. “The Government also did not fulfil its commitment to raise the amount of loan advanced under artisans credit card scheme from Rs 90,000 to Rs 1.5 lakh,” the protesters said.
The protesters sought a comprehensive relief package for the affected artisans and workers, saying lakhs of families are directly and indirectly related to handicrafts.
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