Govt committed to development, employment: LG

Srinagar, Nov 26: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Tuesday said that the government was committed to development with a special focus on employment generation.

Attending the 60th-anniversary celebration of the World Crafts Council (WCC) at Srinagar, the LG, in his address extended his felicitations to all the delegates and artisans.

He commended the efforts of the Ministry of Textiles, Ministry of External Affairs, Department of Industries and Commerce J&K, and World Crafts Council (WCC) to celebrate the rich traditions of handicrafts and handloom, and to bring together distinguished artisans, designers, creative leaders, and other stakeholders from across the world.

LG Sinha highlighted the significant steps taken by the government to unlock the tremendous potential of the handloom and handicrafts sector in J&K.

“My dream is to make ‘Made in Jammu and Kashmir’ creative products famous and integral part of the households across the world. We aim to also focus on global cooperation and improve people's connection for these priceless artistic and cultural heritage of India,” he said.

The LG said that several key initiatives like notification of J&K Wool Processing, Handicrafts, and Handloom Policy 2020,  Financial Support Scheme for Cooperatives and Self-Help Group, Credit Card Scheme for Artisans and Weavers, Karkhandar Scheme, revival of tradition of Craft Bazaar, initiative for seal of authenticity, QR code for carpets, modern packaging, building craft clusters, and promotion of cooperative societies were the testament to the government’s strong resolve towards the holistic development and empowering J&K’s talented artisans and entrepreneurs.

He reiterated the commitment of the government to integrated development with a specific focus on increasing employment opportunities across J&K and the export promotion of handloom and handicraft products.

“We are also working on integrating crafts into tourism and positioning J&K as a prime cultural destination to attract international visitors and provide a fillip to the tourism industry to strengthen the local economy,” LG Sinha said.

On the occasion, he called for the active participation of all the artisans at the grassroots levels to make J&K self-reliant.

The LG assured all the support and assistance from the government to the artisans and entrepreneurs to address their legitimate concerns to further promote the growth and competitiveness of the handloom and handicrafts sector.

He paid homage to Indian craft pioneer and one of the founders of the World Crafts Council Kamala Devi Chattopadhyay and recalled her important contribution to the promotion of handicrafts and cooperative grassroots movements for social and economic upliftment of women and crafts-people.

LG Sinha visited the craft exhibition and inspected the stalls put up by the local, national, and international artisans.

He also felicitated the artisans who have excelled in their respective areas of crafts.

President of World Crafts Council International, Saad Hani Al-Qaddumi said the World Crafts Council was embarking on a journey to position Srinagar as a global hub for crafts through several upcoming initiatives.

The event also witnessed the launch of ‘Seal of Authenticity of the Craft’ aimed at maintaining the beauty and ingenuity of creative products.

World Crafts Council City Book highlighting the milestone of 60 years of its journey was also released on the occasion.

Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo and Commissioner Secretary Industries and Commerce Department, J&K, Vikramjit Singh were also present on the occasion.