A 2-day Seminar on Development and Promotion of Handmade Carpets of Jammu and Kashmir was today organized by Carpet Export Promotion Council (CEPC), New Delhi which was also sponsored by Development Commissioner (Handicraft) Ministry of Textiles, Government of India and Kashmir Chamber of Industry and Commerce (KCCI).The Minister for Industries and Commerce, Mr. Chander Parkash inaugurated the Seminar which was also attended by the Financial Commissioner, Industries and Commerce, Mr. Khurshid Ahmed Ganai, Chairman, Carpet Export Promotion Council Mr. Kuldeep Watal, Secretary, Textile Government of India, Mr KC Panda, Director Industries, Kashmir and other officers of Industries and Commerce and CEPC.
Speaking on the occasion, the Minister said that the Government is keen to revive and promote the traditional handicrafts of the State and in this regard several initiatives and schemes have been launched in the State. He said that the new Industrial Policy would be also having the handicraft sector as one of the thrust areas.Earlier, speaking at the function, Union Secretary Textiles said that block-level clusters would be established in J&K for promotion and marketing of handmade carpets.He also announced setting up of a Raw Material Bank in Kashmir for promotion of the traditional Silk Carpets for which he said a corpus fund of Rs 10 crore would be provided by the Government of India.