J&K govt to develop handicrafts as an organized sector (India)

The government of the north Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir is consulting all stakeholders from the handicrafts industry, including the artisans, in order to develop the state’s handicrafts industry as an organized sector, especially through a cluster development model, state Chief Secretary Madhav Lal said.

 

Calling on the handicraft artisans in the state to work jointly to develop the domestic industry as an organized sector, Mr. Lal said that several government sponsored schemes remain underutilized as the handicraft industry in the state is not organized. 

 

Speaking at a consultation meet of stakeholders for the 'Integrated Development of 10 Handicraft Clusters in Srinagar and Ganderbal' convened by J&K Entrepreneurship Development Institute in Srinagar, Mr. Lal reiterated that the main aim behind the Cluster Development Initiative is to develop Kashmir’s ancient and well-known household handicraft industry into a self-sustaining organized sector.

 

The initiative follows the government’s multi-pronged strategy, under which alongside beautification and development of cluster areas, a platform is also extended to the artisans, where they can interact and voice the difficulties that they face with regard to their trade and craft related activities, Mr. Lal said. 

 

He also informed that prior to finalizing an all-inclusive intervention and development strategy, the government is consulting all handicraft industry stakeholders, particularly artisans. The consultation workshop has itself extended a platform to all stakeholders for interacting and voicing their issues, Mr. Lal added.