To improve livelihood opportunities for the people living on the periphery of Nowshera Forest Division, a one day grooming session on preparation of handicrafts with chir needles and their value addition was held at Sunderbani Forest Range.The chairpersons of all 15 Self Help Groups associated with chir handicrafts besides many girls and women participated in the event.
The grooming session was started by Divisional Forest Officer, Nowshera Satyendra Maurya by putting light on use of chir needles for making handicrafts and creating livelihood opportunities for women and girls in addition to their routine work.
Expert from GIRI Foundation Megha Sharma imparted training to participants to improve quality of chir handicraft products prepared by the SHGs. She emphasized that by improving the quality of products by using good quality material with precision and good marketing skills, the scope for this emerging handicraft industry can be expanded all over the world. At present GIRI foundation is working on marketing of chir needle handicrafts in India.
The participants lauded the efforts of Nowshera Forest Division for holding a series of livelihood improvement programmes for people living on the periphery of Nowshera Forest Division. They also demanded to extend such training programmes to other remote areas of Reasi and Rajouri districts so that more women and girls may take benefit of such self employment generation activities in addition to their daily routine works.
Range Officer Sunderbani Sudesh Kumar made all arrangements for smooth conduct of said one day grooming session on preparation and value addition of Chir handicrafts. The whole programme was conducted under guidance of Conservator of Forests, West circle Rajouri Vivek Verma.