DC Ganderbal inaugurates Willow Wicker Skill Up-gradation Centre

Ganderbal, Dec 11: In a significant stride towards enhancing the learning techniques for willow wicker trainees, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Ganderbal, Shyambir today inaugurated the Willow Wicker Skill Up-gradation Center at Kachan, here.

This initiative falls under the Karkhandar scheme, aimed at fostering skill development and empowerment within the community.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Assistant Director Handicrafts & Handloom Ganderbal, Zahid Rashid, besides local artisans and trainees.

The Karkhana is run by Ghulam Mohammad Magray, who is a state award winner in Willow Wicker Craft in 2016.

Speaking on the occasion, the DC underscored the importance of skill up-gradation in ensuring the continued growth and competitiveness of traditional Willow Wicker craft in the contemporary market. He said that district administration is expanding marketing linkage to the willow wickers so that their product is exported to other countries.

Shyambir urged the artisan and trainees to hone their skills and make full use of the centre which is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and expert trainers to produce quality products.

The Karkhandar scheme is a government initiative focused on the comprehensive development of traditional crafts and artisan communities, fostering skill up-gradation, economic empowerment, and cultural preservation. Under this scheme, the master artisan is provided a monthly honorarium of Rs 2000 per trainee per month, besides Rs 25000 for logistics and support. Trainees are also provided a monthly stipend of Rs 2000.

Assistant Director Handicrafts and Handloom informed that the Willow Wicker Skill Up-gradation Center is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and expert trainers dedicated to imparting advanced techniques and knowledge to the trainees to provide hands-on training to bolster the proficiency of willow wicker artisans in the district, in addition to the funds /stipend provided is also provided to the master artisan and trainees.