Srinagar, October 6: Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary on Monday laid the foundation stone for construction of a café house and renovation of the existing guest house at the Government Silk Weaving Factory, Rajbagh, a unit of Jammu and Kashmir Industries Limited (JKI).
MLA Lal Chowk Sheikh Ahsan Ahmed Pardesi, Commissioner Secretary Industries and Commerce Department Vikramjit Singh and senior officials were present on the occasion.
The project is being executed by the J&K Small Scale Industries Development Corporation Limited (JK SICOP). It is aimed at improving the premises and providing additional facilities for visitors and stakeholders.
The project is also expected to generate additional revenue for JKI and contribute to the financial sustainability and institutional revival of the public sector undertaking.
During the visit, the Deputy Chief Minister inspected the JKI showroom at the Government Silk Factory, which displays products made from mulberry silk and local wool.
Choudhary appreciated the quality and design of the products and said JKI’s efforts to preserve traditional skills, particularly those associated with Kashmiri mulberry silk, were important for the region’s textile heritage.
Addressing the gathering, the Deputy Chief Minister said the project reflected the government’s focus on modernising and making optimum use of existing industrial assets, strengthening infrastructure of public sector undertakings and creating avenues for revenue generation through productive use of available resources.
He called upon JKI officials to enhance production and sales and continue efforts to promote local crafts, which he said were important for economic growth and employment generation.
MLA Lal Chowk Sheikh Ahsan Ahmed Pardesi stressed the need to preserve and upgrade the infrastructure of the Government Silk Weaving Factory, Rajbagh, in view of its role in promoting the region’s traditional silk industry and preserving Jammu & Kashmir’s textile heritage.
Commissioner Secretary Industries and Commerce Vikramjit Singh said employees played an important role in shaping the future of an organisation. He urged JKI employees to work with integrity and a sense of responsibility, saying this would contribute to the progress of the industrial sector and the wider economy.
Managing Director JKI, Managing Director JK SICOP, Director Finance, Industries and Commerce Department, Director Planning, Industries and Commerce Department and other senior officers were also present on the occasion.
