JAMMU: The 7th National Handloom Day was celebrated by the Directorate of Handicrafts & Handloom here at Udyog Bhawan to commemorate the Swadeshi Movement and to promote the handmade products of the weaver community.
Held under the guidance of Principal Secretary to Government, Industries and Commerce Department, Ranjan Prakash Thakur, Stalls of various handloom products were also exhibited on the occasion.
A large number of people visited the stalls and appreciated the efforts of the Directorate for arranging the mega event.
Special Secretary, Industries and Commerce Department, Kusum Badyal was the chief Guest and R.C. Kotwal Director Finance, Industries & Commerce department presided over the function.
Director Industries & Commerce, Jammu, Anu Malhotra, Director Handicrafts & Handloom Department Jammu, Dr. Vikas Gupta, Director Geology & Mining, O.P.Bhagat, Joint Director Handloom, Pradeep Singh Manhas, Deputy Director Adm, Gulam Rasool, Development Officer Textiles, FareedKohli, Deputy Director(plg), Megha Boagia and other senior officers/officials besides artisans/weavers community attended the event.
Speaking on the occasion, the Director Handicrafts & Handloom, Jammu highlighted that National Handloom day is celebrated to honour the weavers’ community & acknowledge their contribution towards society. The aim of celebrating the National Handloom day is to protect this vast and rich heritage and to empower the weavers/artisans of the sector, he added.
The Director Handicrafts & Handloom Jammu informed about various cooperatives registered with the department to help the weavers’ community become self-reliant & independent entrepreneurs. At present nearly 10000 Artisans and Weavers are registered with the Department and more trainees are undergoing skill development training through 200 Handloom & Handicrafts departmental training centres to contribute to the Workforce. The Department has also registered more than 170 cooperatives in the Handicrafts & Handloom Department during the last one year under the Jammu and Kashmir Self Reliant Cooperative Act, 1999. Once registered these cooperatives become eligible for financial assistance of Rs 1.00 lakh over a period of two years (@ Rs.0.50 lakh/year).
He added that 564 cases have so far been sponsored to the various Banks for providing credit facility upto Rs.2.00 lakh under Pradhan Mantri Weavers Mudra Yojana an amount of Rs 34 lacs has been disbursed to various Handloom cooperatives under the scheme ‘10% special Rebate on sale of Handloom cloths’.
On the occasion, Appreciation Certificates were also distributed amongst various weavers and artisans, besides issuing registration certificates to some of the newly registered cooperatives.
The Weavers/artisans also shared their experience and appreciated the efforts being made by the department towards their development & upliftment. The department also unveiled a documentary on the occasion highlighting various activities & products of the weaver’s community.