Srinagar, Sep 20: The second meeting of the Government-established Handicrafts Quality Control Council was presided over by Mahmood Ahmad Shah, Director Handicrafts and Handloom, Kashmir.
The discussion was significant because it discussed the acknowledgement of those crafts and craftsmen who have not been included in the competition for one reason or another. The meeting explored how to bring more crafts under the purview of the J&Kashmir Handicrafts Quality Control Act 1978.
As per the statement, it was felt during the meeting that bringing more crafts under the ambit will not only provide the much-needed focus to such arts but will also help in extending the benefits of the Government schemes presently in vouge to such groups thus will address a long pending demand.
“The exercise will help in increasing the number of genuine artisan community and such a measure will extend the benefits of the govt schemes to the hitherto unrecognised artisan segments of the society by which they can avail the Artisan/Weavers Credit scheme, Kharkhandar scheme, Assistance under the Cooperative Act, MUDRA Scheme and other educational benefits for their kins.”
The inclusion of the crafts to the list of notified crafts will increase the socio-economic conditions of the marginalized artisan community. Moreover, there are certain categories of craftsmen whose role is very important for the final product of a Handicraft item such as Copperware Sakhta/engraving, Pottery, Wagguv, Paper Pulp (Sakhta),Tracer, Dyer, Washer etc. This category of craft practising people whose role is immensely vital for the overall development of the craft sector in the union territory, however till date the financial empowerment schemes launched by the department has not percolated down to such segments of the Artisans.
Director Handicrafts and Handloom Kashmir made special reference to the empowerment of such categories of the craft persons so that this step of inclusion will, in turn, attract more and more persons towards the cottage sector and employment opportunities to the youth can get a flip.
The Handicrafts Quality Control Council accordingly proposed the inclusion of 24 No. of crafts to be declared as Notified Crafts under the provision of the Jammu and Kashmir Handicrafts Quality Control Act 1978.
The said council also proposed registration as artisans of the persons practising the crafts, to be notified in addition to the crafts already Notified vide SO No. 269 dated: 065.08.2021 and SRO 14 dated: 7th of January 1997.