Minister for Industries and Commerce, Chander Parkash inaugurated a Handloom Cluster Development Project in presence of Minister of State for Finance and Information Technology, Mr. Pawan Kumar Gupta and MLA Chenani Mr. Dina Nath Bhagat at Panchayat Ghar, Chenani, here today.The project has been taken up under the comprehensive Handloom Development Scheme of National Handloom Development Programme, Ministry of Textiles, Government of IndiaMinster for Industries & Commerce informed that this is first such project for J&K, sanctioned by the, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India to empower handloom weavers and build their capacity to enhance competitiveness of their products in the domestic and international market .He said that the project will facilitate collectivization of handloom weavers and provide assistance for procurement, production, marketing and other support activities to promote sustainable growth and diversification.
Mr Chander Parkash also distributed cheques of an amount of eight thousand each among ten beneficiaries for setting up looms to revive their traditional livelihood sources. He said that this is the first such project for J&K, sanctioned by the, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India.The Minister said that the Government is committed to uplift the economic condition of the people related to handloom industry. He directed the concerned departments to organize more and more awareness camps in rural areas in order to aware the people about various welfare schemes so that they avail maximum benefits from these schemes.Minister of State for Finance, Mr Gupta stressed upon the people to come forward and avail maximum benefits from the centrally sponsored schemes and raise their economic standard. He appreciated the efforts of Handloom development department for organizing such a programme at Chenani.
Among others, Excise Commissioner, Mr. Tsering Angchok, Director Industries, Dr. Abdul Rashid, Director Handloom, Mr. Rajesh Sharma, Deputy Director Handloom, Mrs. Namrta Dogra, SDM Chenani, Mr. D.K. Sharma, Assistant Director Handloom, Udhampur, Dr. Kusum Chib, AD Handicraft, Mr. Vishavjeet, Sarpanches, panches, prominent citizens and a large numbers of local people of the area were also present on the occasion.