Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 10: Union Textiles Secretary, Neelam Shami Rao, today reiterated the Government’s commitment to promoting and reviving the unique craft of hand-knotted carpet weaving.
She made these remarks while distributing Modified Modern Steel Carpet Looms to artisans under the Integrated Wool Development Programme (IWDP) at the Indian Institute of Carpet Technology (IICT) campus, here.
The event was attended by Commissioner Secretary, Industries & Commerce,. Vikramjit Singh; Joint Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Padmini Singla; Director, Handicrafts & Handloom Kashmir, Mussrat Islam; Executive Director, Central Wool Development Board, G.S. Bhati; Member Secretary, J&K Sericulture Development Board, P. Shiv Kumar and other senior officers of the Ministry of Textiles and the Department of Handicrafts & Handloom, Kashmir.
In her address, the Union Secretary encouraged the UT Government to submit more proposals to the Ministry of Textiles, particularly for upgradation of testing and certification facilities. She stressed the importance of reviving traditional designs while simultaneously incorporating contemporary patterns to strengthen the global appeal of Kashmiri handicrafts.
“I have come from Delhi along with a team of senior officers to gain firsthand insight into introducing new benchmarks that will strengthen backward and forward linkages in the craft sector,” she stated.
Earlier, Neelam Shami Rao visited various sections of IICT, where the Director IICT briefed her about ongoing training programmes, the design studio and the NABL-accredited laboratory.
Union Secretary also visited the Pashmina Testing & Quality Certification Centre (PTQCC) and assured full support for procuring state-of-the-art machines to ensure the authenticity of Kashmiri Pashmina and other handicrafts.
During her visit, Union Secretary interacted with Padma Shri and National Award-winning artisans, including Ghulam Hassan Khan (Patchwork Jamawar), Ghulam Nabi Dar (Wood Carving) and Farooq Ahmad Mir (Kani Shawl), as well as budding entrepreneurs like Shahnawaz Carpets and Beenish Crewel Toys.
Union Secretary distributed Modified Modern Steel Carpet Looms among artisan clusters from Anantnag, Bandipora, Baramulla, Budgam, Kulgam and Srinagar districts. She also assured consideration of a proposal submitted by the Department of Handicrafts & Handloom, Kashmir, for the procurement of 500 additional looms for distribution.
Meanwhile, Union Textiles Secretary inaugurated the Animal Fibre Quality Assurance Laboratory at Faculty of Veterinary Sciences & Animal Husbandry (FVSc & AH), SKUAST-Kashmir, Shuhama Campus.
Addressing officers and stakeholders meeting, the Union Secretary underlined the Government’s commitment to protecting the purity and sanctity of pashmina, describing it as the “gold standard” of India’s natural fibres.
She said that the Ministry is working towards creating a vibrant testing and certification ecosystem for Pashmina and other animal fibres. “Certification, numbering, and coding must be smarter so that every labelled product is traceable. In the next two to three years, we should have reliable data on the number of genuine Pashmina products entering the market,” the Secretary said.
Neelam Shami Rao assured that the Ministry would work closely with Customs, BIS, and the Ministry of Environment and Forest to evolve a consensus-driven solution that balances industry requirements with wildlife and animal rights concerns.
Vice Chancellor of SKUAST-Kashmir, Nazir Ahmad Khan expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Textiles for strengthening the region’s fibre testing infrastructure and promoting artisan welfare.
Union Secretary also visited exhibition stalls displaying local products, witnessed demonstrations of laboratory activities, and interacted with key stakeholders from the Pashmina industry.
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