Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 25: Asking for a cutting edge strategy to ensure comprehensive and holistic development of feasible industries in the State, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah today underscored the importance of promoting and safeguarding State’s handicrafts and handloom activities to help ameliorate the lot of artisans and provide necessary succour to economy of the State.
“There are tremendous opportunities for venturing in the State in various sectors of agriculture, horticulture, information technology, science and technology, tourism, health, power generation, education, handicrafts, handlooms, animal rearing and allied sectors to catapult State’s economy and broad base the industrial set up and generate huge employment for locals. This in turn would offer highly profitable and commercially viable scenario for investors to earn and be partners in the development”, he said and asked the Industries Department to make coordinated and befitting efforts in this direction.
Taking review of the achievements and progress registered in the State in the Industries and Handicrafts sector at a high level meeting here, the Chief Minister highlighted the need for encouraging local entrepreneurs to take up self-employment by establishing industrial units.
“You have to help, facilitate, assist and arrange financial schemes for young and budding entrepreneurs of the State to encourage them launch their units in the State and generate wide-ranging economic activities for themselves and also for others”, he said, adding that while mega industrial units require huge infrastructure and finances, small and medium industries can be started in the feasible sectors conveniently.
In a PowerPoint presentation, Commissioner Secretaries Industries, Farooq Ahmad Factoo gave detailed account of the status of the functioning of various departments under the control of Industries Department. He provided profile of achievements registered during the last four years and also spelt out salient features of the futuristic plans of the department to achieve new goals in the development of industries, handlooms and handicrafts in the State.
He also mentioned the achievements registered in Geology and Mining, Craft Development, JK Cements, Industries Development Corporation, Handicrafts Development Corporation, Handloom Development Corporation, JK Industries, Government Silk Factory, Government Woollen Mills, Khadi and Village Industries Board, J&K Minerals, Small Scale Industries Development Corporation, Small and Medium Industries Development Corporation, etc.
Later, the Chief Minister inaugurated 15-days Dast-e-Hunnar exhibition at Kashmir Haat here organized by the State Handloom Department in collaboration with Union Ministry of Textiles.
The Chief Minister went around various stalls installed in the exhibition and interacted with the stall holders. He was informed that some 68 cooperative societies from all over the country are participating in the Handloom Expo-2013. There will be buyer-seller meets during the Expo.
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