Divisional Commissioner Jammu Ramesh Kumar inaugurated a two-day "Liaison Officers’ Training cum Refreshers Programme" on the Market for Textile and Clothing (MTC): National Household Survey at the Convention Centre Jammu on Monday. The event was organised by the Textiles Committee, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India.
The two-day programme brought together liaison officers from the northern region to enhance their knowledge on data collection techniques, data quality improvement, and the incorporation of new fibres, products and upcoming sustainability aspects to cater to the needs of survey users.
Among those present at the programme were Director (Market Research) Textiles Committee Dr Tapan Kumar Rout, Director (Handicrafts and Handloom Jammu) Mohammad Nazir Sheikh, Chairperson (NGO Support) Dr Navneet Kour, various liaison officers and entrepreneurs from the Jammu region.
Speaking at the inaugural session, the Divisional Commissioner said that the Jammu region holds rich potential for handloom and local textiles. He noted that the data collected by the liaison officers will play a key role in policy formulation and boosting the handloom and textile sector in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Textiles Committee has been mapping textiles consumption in the household sector under a National Household Sample Survey titled "Market for Textiles and Clothing", covering 13,540 households across 364 centres including 111 urban and 253 rural centres.
The process involves collecting data on textiles consumption from the target audience through a structured questionnaire using scientific tools and a personal interview method. The collection of data at a panel centre is carried out by liaison officers selected from the sample centres or nearby areas.
The liaison officers collect data in two customised questionnaires called Demographic Particular Returns and Monthly Purchase Returns. The report generated from the data is cross-checked with secondary data and the findings are published in an annual report titled "Market for Textiles and Clothing - National Household Survey".