SRINAGAR, NOVEMBER 26: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today said his dream is to make “Made in Jammu Kashmir” products an integral part of households across the world.
“My dream is to make “Made in Jammu 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.
He was speaking at the 60th anniversary celebration of the World Crafts Council (WCC) at Srinagar.
In his address, the Lieutenant Governor 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 & Commerce J&K, and World Crafts Council (WCC) to celebrate the rich traditions of handicrafts, handloom, and to bring together distinguished artisans, designers, creative leaders and other stakeholders from across the globe.
The Lieutenant Governor highlighted the significant steps taken by the government to unlock the tremendous potential of the Handloom and Handicrafts sector in the UT of J&K.
He said, 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 Bazar, Initiative for seal of authenticity, QR code for carpets, modern packaging, Building craft clusters and promotion of cooperative societies etc are the testament to our strong resolve towards the holistic development and empowering our talented artisans, and entrepreneurs.
The Lieutenant Governor reiterated the commitment of the government for integrated development with a specific focus on increasing employment opportunities across the Union Territory and export promotion of Handloom and Handicraft products.
We are also working on integrating crafts into tourism and positioning Jammu Kashmir as a prime cultural destination to attract international visitors and provide a fillip to the tourism industry in order to strengthen the local economy, he said.
On the occasion, the Lieutenant Governor called for the active participation of all the artisans at the grassroots levels to make Jammu Kashmir self-reliant. He also 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.
The Lieutenant Governor also paid homage to the Indian Craft Pioneer and one of the founders of the World Crafts Council Smt. Kamala Devi Chattopadhyay recalled her important contribution to the promotion of handicrafts and cooperative grassroots movements for the social and economic upliftment of women and craftspeople.
Speaking on the occasion, Sh Sa’ad Hani Al-Qaddumi, President of World Crafts Council International, said the World Crafts Council is 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.
The Lieutenant Governor visited the Craft Exhibition and inspected the stalls put up by the local, national, and international artisans. He also felicitated the Artisans who had excelled in their respective areas of crafts. World Crafts Council City Book highlighting the milestone of 60 years of its journey was also released.
Atal Dulloo, Chief Secretary; Vikramjit Singh, Commissioner Secretary, Industries & Commerce Department, J&K; senior officials, members of World Crafts Council, and delegates from various countries. Local, national, and International artisans were also present.