JAMMU: Director Handloom Development Department, T Angchuk, today inaugurated 5-days exhibition-cum-fair organised by Samba and Kathua Handloom clusters at Dussehra Ground, Gandhi Nagar, here this afternoon. Deputy Director Handloom Development Department Namrita Dogra, Deputy Director Central Sat Pal Bavaria, Parvaiz Naik, Assistant Director Handloom Development Department Samba, Dr. Kusum Chib, Assistant Director Handloom Development Department, Udhampur, Assistant Director Handloom Development Department, Kathua N D Verma besides others senior officers of the department and weavers were present on the occasion.
The Samba and Billawar Handloom Clusters have been sponsored by Development Commissioner Handlooms, Ministry of Textiles Government of India. The handloom products being manufactured by the weavers of Samba and Billawar clusters are lenin and cotton fabrics, Cotton bed sheets, Pashmina Shawls, Raffle Shawls and stoles, tweed, woollen blankets, woollen shawls and other home furnishing products.
Speaking on the occasion, Director Handloom Development Department T Angchuk appreciated the efforts of the officers of the department in putting up elegant display of handloom products of the clusters. He said that handloom products of the J&K state are famous world over for intricate designs, precision and high quality. He said the department provides genuine products to the buyers without exploitation at the hands of middlemen besides showcasing state’s rich arts and crafts at national and international levels. He said that state’s handloom trade is linked to its rich heritage and culture. He asked the officers of the department to explore modern marketing channels in the world market to promote sale of Dogri, Pahari, Gojri and Kashmiri products.
Earlier, the Cultural Wing of Information Department organized variety programme on the inaugural day of the exhibition. The artists presented Dogri, Punjabi, Gojri, Pahari and Kashmiri songs including dances which were highly applauded by the audience. The artists of Cultural Wing of Information Department who participated in the cultural programme included Jeevan Sharma, Vijay Anand, Kamal Kumar, Bodh Raj and Surjeet Singh Sumbaria. Parvaiz Naik, Assistant Director Handloom Development Department, Samba presented vote of thanks on the occasion.