ANANTNAG: NABARD today celebrated 10th National Handloom Day with female artisans and weavers at Shangas in Anantnag. The event was graced by DDM NABARD, Rouf Zargar and Director RSETI Nisar Ahmad. Besides the officers from Handloom and Handicraft department, block officials of NRLM and representatives of Humanity NGO attended the programme. The event was participated by a large number of female artisans from the area.
Speaking on the occasion, DDM NABARD said that Kashmir has rich cultural heritage in art and crafts and there is immense scope for improving the quality of handmade products. He said that NABARD has been taking various initiatives for artisans such as formation of off-farm producer organizations (OFPO), Livelihood enterprise development programmes (LEDP), micro enterprise development programmes (MEDP), Skill development programmes (SDP) on handicraft/handlooms under NABSKILL initiative, institutional projects based on technological interventions in handloom/handicraft sector, GI Tagging of handloom products etc.
In order to help artisans in marketing of their products, NABARD has been sponsoring the artisans for all India level exhibitions; besides NABARD also provides grant support for establishment of Rural Haat, and Rural Mart for local level marketing of the handloom and handicraft products. He said two such Rural Marts were established by female SHGs in the district with support from NABARD.
Nisar Ahmad, Director RSETI informed that RSETI under the aegis Ministry of Rural Development, has been keen in providing Entrepreneurship development training to weavers for setting up the bank financed units / looms at their homes.
Abdul Qadeer, Handloom Training Officer from the Handloom & Handicraft department spoke regarding the schemes run by the department which are based on subsidy and other bankable schemes such as weavers MUDRA scheme, Artisans credit Card Scheme, Direct Assistance to Handloom weavers and other credit subsidy-based schemes. On the occasion some prominent artisans were felicitated by NABARD for their contribution in the Handloom sector.
