Srinagar: Union Textiles Secretary Neelam Shami Rao on Tuesday reaffirmed the Government of India’s commitment to promoting and reviving the traditional craft of hand-knotted carpet weaving in Kashmir.
She was speaking at the Indian Institute of Carpet Technology (IICT) campus in Srinagar, where she distributed Modified Modern Steel Carpet Looms to artisans under the Integrated Wool Development Programme (IWDP).
The event was attended by senior officials, including Commissioner Secretary Industries & Commerce Vikramjit Singh, Joint Secretary Ministry of Textiles Padmini Singla, Director Handicrafts & Handloom Kashmir Mussrat Islam, and other officers from the Ministry of Textiles and J&K departments.
Encouraging the UT Government to submit more proposals for funding, Rao emphasized the need to upgrade testing and certification facilities and balance revival of traditional designs with the introduction of contemporary patterns to enhance the global appeal of Kashmiri handicrafts.
“I have come from Delhi along with a team of senior officers to gain firsthand insight into introducing new benchmarks that will strengthen backward and forward linkages in the craft sector,” Rao said.
During her visit, the Union Secretary inspected IICT’s training programmes, design studio, and NABL-accredited laboratory. She expressed interest in scaling up laboratory facilities, noting that special funding had already been provided under the National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP).
She also visited the Pashmina Testing & Quality Certification Centre (PTQCC) and assured support for procuring modern equipment to ensure authenticity and global recognition of Kashmiri Pashmina and other crafts.
Rao interacted with renowned artisans, including Padma Shri Ghulam Hassan Khan (Patchwork Jamawar), Ghulam Nabi Dar (Wood Carving), and Farooq Ahmad Mir (Kani Shawl), as well as young entrepreneurs such as Shahnawaz Carpets and Beenish Crewel Toys.
As part of the outreach, looms were distributed among artisan clusters from Anantnag, Bandipora, Baramulla, Budgam, Kulgam, and Srinagar districts. Rao also assured that the Ministry would consider the Department of Handicrafts & Handloom’s proposal for procurement of 500 additional looms for wider distribution.
