To promote sale of handmade Kullu shawls so as to benefit the local weavers, the handloom products having Geographic Indicator (GI) handloom mark as approved by the Industries department, would be allowed to be sold in International Kullu Dussehra beginning from 22nd October, 2015. It was decided in a meeting of State level Kullu Dussehra Committee meeting held here today chaired by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.Many businessmen coming to Dussehra festival bring shawls from Ludhiana and elsewhere and by labeling them as Kullu shawls cheat upon the people. In order to stop this practice the decision was taken that only those local handloom products having GI mark would be allowed to be sold during the festival.The Chief Minister directed the Language, Art and Culture department to distribute a sum of Rs 10 crore deposited as revolving fund in the account of ‘Kardar Sangh’ by the government, as annuity to those tenants who were looking after the age old temples of Kullu district.The revolving fund is only for those temples which were vested under the government or were under the occupancy tenants (Mujaras).
“Adequate funding should be done for upkeep of such temples and even if the fixed limit increases beyond a certain point, the government would make sure that adequate assistance was given to these temples” he said.“I don’t want old temples to be closed or there was no one to even light incense stick or lamp in front of the idols of our Gods”, he said.It was informed in the meeting that to promote rural games and to make them competitive ‘Grameen Khel’ events like Kabaddi, Kho-Kho, Volley-ball etc would be held as was organized earlier.The Chief Minister agreed to increase the annual grant for the festival being given by Art, Language and Cultural department from rupees one lakh to rupees two lakh.The Chief Minister also asked to pursue proposal of financial assistance as prepared by the Tourism department with Union Ministry of Culture.
It was also decided that an emblem of Kullu Dusherra be designed and stamped on the local products which could be exhibited and put on sale. He also directed to set up exhibition cum sale counters of fertilizers and similar products.Special provision of transportation should be made by the concerned department and cleanliness should be ensured, directed the Chief Minister.On the suggestion of Ayurveda Minister, Shri Karan Singh it was decided that Resident Commissioner, New Delhi, Director Information and Public Relations and senior officer from Language, Art and Culture department would visit Delhi to establish talks with the foreign embassies of various countries and urge them to provide best of the dance troupes for the festival.
Deputy Commissioner, Kullu, Shri Rakesh Kanwar informed that so far seven countries have given confirmation for providing their dance troupes. Apart from this the department of Language, Art and Culture will send the best folk troupes from the twelve districts and will hold their competition on the occasion.He also informed that a as compared to last year’s number of 8450 as many as 12000 entries has been received so far for participation in Mega folk dance show by women from Kullu to register entry in Guiness Book of World record.Earlier, President Kullu Zila Kardar Sangh, Shri Dot Ram and General Secretary Shri T.C. Mahant thanked the Chief Minister for providing revolving fund to the tune of Rs 10 crore in 2014-15 in two equal installments of rupees five crore each and urged for further distribution for upkeep of the temples and as annuity to those looking after the temple works.Member of Parliament Shri Ramswaroop Sharma, MLAs Shri Maheshwar Singh and Shri Govind Ram Thakur, Vice-Chairman National ST Commission, Shri Ravi Thakur, Additional Chief Secretary, Shri Tarun Shridhar, Secretary, Language, Art and Culture, Ms. Anuradha Thakur, Additional Director General Police, Shri Sanjay Kundu, Director, Industries, Shri Rajinder Thakur, Director, Information and Public Relations, Dr. M.P. Sood, S.P. Kullu, Shri Padam Thakur and other senior officers of other departments were present on the occasion amongst others.