Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 21: Saying that J&K has best talent in making handicrafts, the Union Minister for Textiles, Dr. K. S. Rao today said that need of the hour was to make these handicrafts market driven conforming to the fast changing consumer tastes and liking. He said constant design development and skill upgradation will go a long way in this regard, adding that Central Government’s wholehearted financial and technical support would be available to the State for the purpose.
Speaking at the inaugural session of 2-days workshop and interactive session for development and promotion of handicrafts of Jammu and Kashmir with artisans, entrepreneurs, Self-Help Groups (SHGs), NGOs, stakeholders, manufactures and exporters held at J&K Entrepreneurship Development Institute, the Minister said that design development and quality improvement of handicrafts was imperative to upgrade living standard of artisans even though traditional handicrafts of Jammu and Kashmir are always in high demand in the oversees countries.
The Union Minister urged for devising new strategies to explore all possible export channels, adding that there is vast market for handicrafts in the foreign countries. He said export of handicrafts from India has increased to Rs. 4.3 billion this year against Rs. 3.3 billion mark during the last fiscal. He said artisans should grab this export potential keeping in view very high wage rate per hour in the developed countries.
He said availability of funds will not be any constraint in promotion of handicrafts and its export from Jammu and Kashmir. He said Centre was open with positive frame of mind to improve the lot of artisans, adding that National Centre for Design and Product Development (NCDPD) has been setup to update the handicrafts sector about the changing global scenario with reference to technical advancement.
Responding to the demand of handloom weavers, the Union Minister announced that 10% rebate on purchase of yarn, which was only available for handicrafts sector will be now available on purchase of woollen yarn also so as to promote handloom sector in the country.
The Union Secretary for Textiles, Zohra Chatterji in her remarks said that handicraft sector is a major source of livelihood, adding that need of the hour was to bring product diversification in it. She said handicrafts of J&K are similar in quality and make up to those of Uzbekistan and Isfehan but their costs are not comparable, adding that joint efforts are needed to give a big boost to handicrafts exports from J&K. She also enumerated some measures taken up for promotion of handicrafts in the State adding that one textile park has been setup in Kathua where about 29 units are coming up very soon.
She said Prime Minister of India has also approved a National Institute of Fashion Design in Srinagar where academic classes have been started temporary this year. These steps will go long way in promoting fashion designing.
The Development Commissioner Handicrafts Government of India, S. S. Gupta briefed the gathering about measures taken to simply procedures for boosting handicrafts sector.
The Director, J&K EDI, M. I. Parray in his key note address said that basic objective of the workshop is to try and devise new vision to the handicrafts sector in the State. He said that handicrafts sector is one of the employment generation sectors adding that for the last three years, the institute has financed around 350 handicrafts units under the various schemes of the State Government like seed capital fund scheme and youth start-up loan scheme-the two component of the State’s flagship programme Sher-e-Kashmir Employment and Welfare Programme for Youth (SKEWPY).
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