Minister for Industries and Commerce, Chander Prakash Ganga, Mondayinaugurated the National Handloom Expo Dast-e-Hunar at Kashmir Haat here.Minister of State for Industries and Commerce, Syed Farooq Ahmad Andrabi was also present on the occasion.The 12-day expo is sponsored by Development Commissioner for Handlooms and Handicrafts, Ministry of Textiles, GoI, and J&K Directorate of Handloom Department and is organized by Esquire Handloom WICS Ltd.Development Commissioner for Handloom and Handicrafts, Ministry of Textiles, GoI, Shantmanu, was also present on the occasion.Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Industries and Commerce, Chander Prakash Ganga, thanked the Development Commissioner for Handlooms and Handicrafts for his keen interest in resuming the exercise of expos in the State and for authorizing four such expos to be held in the State in 2018.Ganga also said that expos held outside the State will also see participation by JK weavers in near future and that modalities for the same are being worked out with the Development Commissioner for Handloom and Handicrafts, Ministry of Textiles, GoI.
He congratulated the artisans for their brilliant work even as he emphasized the need for innovations in design. He also emphasized the importance of marketability, impressing upon the artisans to keep marketability in mind when designing their goods.Ganga also said all possible efforts are being made to ensure identification of authentic Kashmiri products being marked by GI certification. The expo, being held after three years, will see some 60 handloom and handicraft societies exhibit their finished goods showcased on 46 different stalls set up at the Haat.The expo also includes live demonstration of handloom weaving, pashmina spinning and Kani shawl weaving.The aim of the expo is to encourage JK artisans and offer them an avenue to market their finished goods to a national market.The expo is one of the two being held in the State this year.