Skill development of youth, artisans and craftsmen is getting focused attention of the government in India keeping in view the fact that it can prove a game changer in taking the rural economy to new heights. With this aim in mind, Handloom Development Department Udhampur is empowering scores of youth through its network of Training Centres.The department runs six centres including 4 for training artisans and youth in weaving and one each for cutting and tailoring trade.Besides, the Handloom Development Department also imparts training to the unemployed youth /Women for one year to set up their individual unit to earn their livelihood.“The department imparts one year skill development training in Handloom Weaving and Cutting & Tailoring to the Unemployed Youths for and after the completion of training the trained youth are provided with Loans through banks under various departmental schemes to enable them to set up their individual units and also in cooperatives fold to earn their livelihood” said AD Handloom, Udhampur N D Verma.
He said trained youth are enfolding in co-operative societies while other job knowing individual weavers are also providing them opportunities to come into the fold of cooperative societies. At least 11 weavers are required for formation of a Co-operative.The Karkhandar scheme- a new scheme has been introduced by the Government for the welfare of the weaver community and artisans. “The main aim and objective of the scheme is to improve the craft skill of weavers to create valued finished goods, products to increase their earnings’ he added.Under the scheme, ex- trainees are identified for six month advance training in a batch of 10 persons and with a provision of Rs.2000 stipend per month. Rs. 1,000 is paid through DBT mood and remaining Rs 1000 is disbursed on the successful completion of practical training session. Moreover Rs 25, 000 per batch is provided as expenditure on account of all the logistics needed for running the training programme successfully.
Under this scheme, Master Trainer Rajesh Kumar, a Handloom unit holder at Tandar (Chenani), is imparting six month advance training to a batch of 10 ex-Trainees of Kadian. The main purpose of this scheme is to up-grade the weaving techniques and skill of the weavers to improve the quality of Handloom products with modern designs and market avenues.Under SAMARTH scheme, Handloom Development Department Udhampur is conducting a 45 day skill up- gradation training at Latti to a batch of 20 weavers.The department is also providing financial assistance to newly registered Cooperative societies. It is a new scheme and was implemented in the year 2020-21. Under the scheme, financial assistance up to Rs 1.0 Lakh is provided to newly registered cooperatives. During the Year 2020-21, 5 newly registered cooperatives were provided financial assistance of Rs 0.50 Lakh each and remaining amount will be given in the current year 2021-22.