Excelsior Correspondent
KATRA, Mar 2: The 15-day long Special Handloom Expo-2014-15 titled ‘Magical Weaves’ commenced at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Spiritual Growth Centre, here today.
Dr. Mandeep K. Bhandari, Chief Executive Officer, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, who was the chief guest on the occasion, inaugurated the Expo, which has been organised by the Directorate of Handloom Development Department, Government of Jammu and Kashmir, and sponsored by the Development Commissioner (Handlooms), Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, New Delhi.
T. Angchuk, Director Handlooms, Dr. M. K. Kumar, Additional Chief Executive Officer, SMVDSB, Namrata Dogra, Deputy Director, Handlooms, Jammu, Pankaj Gupta, Deputy CEO of the Shrine Board, Anil Chandel, SDM, Katra, Sameer Kotwal, Additional SP, Katra, officers of the Handloom Development Department, civil and police officers, prominent citizens of the area, including Shiv Kumar Sharma, Rakesh Wazir and Harish Dubey, Expo stall holders and pilgrims were among those present at the inaugural function.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Bhandari lauded the initiatives of the Handloom Department for organising such Expo which provide platforms to the weavers to showcase their products. He said that this besides extending awareness about the latest designs of the products also provides a ready market to them. Referring to the organising of Expo at Katra, he said that since a large number of pilgrims from all over visit Katra, the base town for the Holy Cave Shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji, more such exhibition-cum-sales of handloom products should be held at Katra.
In his welcome address, Mr. Angchuk said that 42 handloom cooperative societies from across the State are participating in this Special Expo, aimed at providing marketing opportunities to the handloom weavers and cooperative societies. The main objective of organizing Special Handloom Expo is to enable the consumers to purchase handloom products from different parts of the State under one roof. He said that during the Expo, handloom products would be marketed at 10 percent rebate.
Earlier, Dr. Bhandari, Mr. Angchuk, Dr. Kumar and others present on the occasion went around the stalls put up at the exhibition-cum-sale and evinced keen interest in the handloom products which include pashmina shawls, kani shawls, Basohli pashmina shawls, raffle shawls, cotton bed sheets, woollen blankets, cotton kurta-pajama, linen fabrics, coats, Kishtwari blankets, pattoos, loies and other handloom items.
Dr Jagdish Mehra, Project officer, DRDA and Manu Hansa, Assistant, Handicrafts, Reasi also spoke on the occasion.
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