SRINAGAR: A one-day workshop on e-commerce onboarding for Khadi and handicraft artisans was organised by the J&K Khadi and Village Industries Board (J&K KVIB) in collaboration with Conserve India, Walmart Vriddhi and Udyam Well, aimed at strengthening the digital market access and online business capabilities of artisans across Kashmir Division.
The workshop focused on registering artisans with Walmart Vriddhi and Udyam Well and providing them practical training on various aspects of e-commerce, including product cataloguing, product photography, pricing, packaging, digital payments, inventory management, customer interaction and order fulfilment.
The inaugural session was chaired by Commissioner Secretary, Industries & Commerce Department, Shri Vikramjeet Singh. The event was attended by the Secretary/CEO, J&K KVIB, officers of the Board, representatives of Conserve India and Udyam Well, besides a large number of artisans from different districts of the Kashmir Division.
Addressing the gathering, Commissioner Secretary Industries & Commerce, Vikramjeet Singh, welcomed the initiative and appreciated the efforts of the Secretary/CEO and officers of J&K KVIB for organising the workshop.
He emphasised the need to bridge the gap between social media presence and actual delivery of products to consumers, stating that digital visibility must translate into effective market access and customer satisfaction.
He also urged artisans to focus on quality, authenticity, QR-based product identification and registration on the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) to access wider domestic and national markets.
Speaking on the occasion, Secretary/CEO, J&K KVIB, highlighted the Board’s continued support to artisans and entrepreneurs through flagship schemes including PMEGP, JKREGP and SFURTI.
He stated that during the last five years, 6,346 handicraft units have received financial assistance amounting to ₹141.2 crore, involving bank credit of ₹424 crore and generating employment opportunities for 50,768 persons.
Under the SFURTI scheme, J&K KVIB has established four clusters at Anantnag, Budgam, Pampore and Pattan, collectively covering around 1,905 artisans.
He said the e-commerce initiative represents an important step towards transforming the manner in which local artisans access markets, adding that handholding, training and capacity-building are crucial for providing meaningful last-mile connectivity to artisans and helping them compete in the expanding digital marketplace.
The workshop provided artisans with practical exposure to various components of online commerce, enabling them to better understand how to showcase, price, market and sell their traditional products through digital platforms.
The initiative is expected to strengthen the integration of J&K’s traditional Khadi and handicraft sector with emerging e-commerce platforms, providing artisans greater opportunities to reach customers beyond local markets.