Advisor to Lieutenant Governor KK Sharma today said that requisite steps for incentivizing weavers, artisans to increase their income besides also ensuring the revival of traditional arts and crafts have already been taken.The Advisor was speaking at the meeting convened to discuss working of the Craft Development Institute (CDI), Srinagar besides also the issues being faced by it.The meeting was attended by Director Skill development and Director CDI, Sajad Ahmed Gania, Member faculty CDI, Yasir Mir and other senior officersThe Advisor also directed for putting in place a robust mechanism for ensuring the revival and propagation of the traditional arts and crafts of Jammu and Kashmir especially Pashmina weaving, maintaining that the measures should be put in place so that it regains its popularity especially at the National and International level.Advisor while appreciating efforts of Institute directed to develop Basholi Pashmina craft and align skill courses on NSQF pattern. He also asked for widening the ambit of the institute so that more traditional arts and crafts of Jammu and Kashmir get benefited by its interventions.
Director CDI informed the Advisor that the mandate of the Institute is to be a catalyst in transforming the regional craft sector through education, research, innovation, training and integrated development. He further briefed the Advisor about activities of Craft Development Institute Srinagar and its mandate for development of handicraft industry.The Advisor was also informed about introduction of MBA in craft management & entrepreneurship from this academic year and various short term skill courses. CDI is involved in design development, research, consultancy, education, skill development and legal protection of handicrafts. 6 regional crafts have been registered under Geographical Indications Act which include Kashmir Pashmina, Sozni, Kani, Papermachie, Walnut and Khatamband, the Advisor was told.The Advisor was informed that Pashmina Testing & Quality Certification Centre ( PTQCC) at Institute is working for testing and labeling of Kashmir Pashmina. The measure is aimed to promote genuine handmade Kashmir pashmina and discourage sale of fake products in its name.It was also informed that the institute has developed 800 new design samples and trained nearly 600 Artisans under various schemes of Development Commissioner Handicrafts, Union Ministry of Textiles.