The Omar Abdullah government has launched a novel `Know Your Artisan’ programme to promote Kashmir’s rich handicrafts and handloom heritage. It is aimed at strengthening ‘Brand Jammu and Kashmir’ across the globe. What stands out is the government’s new initiative of live demos under the ‘Try Your Hands’ segment. It provides an immersive experience to the visitors and tourists so that they feel the hard work of artisans and the back-end processes involved in making such niche crafts. This will not only give a boost to the handicrafts sector but will also push tourism. Tourists who visit the Kashmir Haat will have an opportunity to try their hands at weaving shawls and other handicrafts. More than 30 display-cum-sale counters offering authentic handmade products have been set up. The artisans are the custodians of our cultural identity. Yet they have been exploited for ages. Most of our craftsmen are daily earners, and their wages are below par. The majority of them live in penury. Such is the condition that some artisans are not able to admit their wards to schools. The dropout rate among the kids of the craftsman is huge, as they push their wards into the trade at an early age to supplement the family income. Our handicrafts fall under the unorganized sector and provide livelihood to lakhs of small artisans. The Centre has recently rolled out four new Labour Codes to improve the wage structure and living standards of the workforce. It is a welcome step. But it should not remain confined to papers only. The government should wake up to the misery of the artisan community. Proper wage structure, welfare schemes, health, and life insurance are a must to uplift our artisan community. Omar Abdullah was all praise for our artisan community during `Know Your Artisan’ programme. However, praises do not put the food on the table. He needs to wake up to the reality and give due to the artisan community. First and foremost, the government should set up a wage board for Kashmir artisans. Minimum wages should be fixed, and all transactions should be made through banks. This will upset the businessmen’s lobby. Yet the policymakers will have to swallow a bitter pill for the greater good of our poor artisans. A new census to find out the exact number of artisans should be initiated. The government should also announce pensionary benefits and an insurance scheme for the artisans. Both art and artisans need to be saved. We cannot promote art in isolation. It has to be balanced. Artisans have golden hands. They have proven their mettle. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi seems to be their fan. He has gifted Kashmir crafts to international dignitaries. The government needs to walk the talk and make artisans’ lives better.
Our artisans, our pride
