The Directorate of Handicrafts and Handloom, Kashmir, plays a significant role in promoting the traditional handicraft and carpet industry of the region, which is an important source of livelihood for the local population. Kashmir is famous for its exquisite and intricate craftsmanship, including embroidery, wood carving, papier-mache and carpets. The department conducts training programmes to impart new skills and techniques to artisans, which can help them improve the quality of their products and increase their marketability. They provide marketing support to local artisans by organising exhibitions and fairs, both within and outside the state, to promote the sale of their products. The department provides financial assistance in the form of subsidies and loans to artisans, which help them set up their workshops and purchase raw materials. And lastly, the department also ensures quality control by setting standards for the products and conducting inspections to ensure that the products meet the required standards.
To give further impetus to their skills, the Carpet Development Institute (CDI) and the Indian Institute of Carpet Technology (IICT), have been awarded “Centres of Excellence” (CoE) in traditional and heritage crafts. The focus is on reviving languishing crafts and creating new crafts with emerging technologies that traditional artisans lack. The aim is to give exposure to creative and innovative designs as per the emerging national and international demands to establish a synchronised ecosystem within the existing infrastructure. The target of training 500 candidates and 100 master trainers in the next three years has been set. These CoE will act as a bridge between local crafters, artisans and the rest of the country and help with international outreach. Assistance will be provided to the entrepreneurs by means of training, mentoring, finance, and even exclusive art galleries.. The world is always looking for exclusivity, and these CoE are the platform to showcase what we have. With G20 meetings assigned and the government providing every possible assistance, it’s time to make a distinguished mark now.
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