Srinagar: In a bid to promote GI certified hand-knotted Kashmiri carpets, the Director Handicrafts & Handlooms Kashmir has fixed Minimum Support Price (MSP) for the carpets of varied knottage and qualities.
As per an official handout issued in this regard, for the Silk carpets, Rs 2050/sq.ft has been fixed for 16×16 size carpets, Rs 2500/sq.ft for 18×18, Rs 3100/sq.ft for 20×20 and Rs 4150/sq.ft for 24×24.
The MSP was determined after wide range of consultations at Indian Institute of Carpet Technology among the members of the committee constituted by the government for the purpose, which included representatives from MEERAS Industrial Cooperative (the registered proprietor of GI), Carpet Manufacturers and Traders Association, Tahafuz Society, Kashmir Carpet Cluster Development Organization and others, the handout said.
It said this initiative is expected to give much needed fillip and boost to the carpet industry for manufacturing hand-knotted carpets as per the pre-decided parameters and specifications. After recommendation, government had authorized Director Handicrafts and Handlooms Kashmir to notify MSP for the hand-knotted carpets.
The Indian Institute of Carpet Technology (IICT), Jammu and Kashmir, will introduce QR code mechanism, first of its kind in the country, for carpets for the purpose of certification and labeling of hand-knotted carpets produced in Kashmir, the handout said.
It said by virtue of this mechanism, the customer will be able to check the requisite details of the carpet with the help of a smartphone before purchasing the same just to confirm its genuineness and authenticity along with other necessary parameters.
The IICT is in the process of setting up such a facility in its campus at Baghi-Ali-Mardan Khan, Nowshara, Srinagar and the same is expected to be made available within next two months for the concerned authorized users, the handout informed.
The committee has urged all concerned stakeholders associated with carpet manufacturing to get themselves registered as authorized users after submitting application forms through MEERAS Industrial Cooperative, to GI Registry, Chennai (Competent Authority) so that they are eligible for using GI/QR Code labels for carpets.
The handout said the MSP for carpets is expected to go a long way in reviving the carpet industry and will also increase the income of artisans substantially once the GI certification is implemented in letter and spirit.
In this regard, the government is contemplating to launch a massive publicity and promotion campaign through print, electronic and social media to make people aware about GI Label of carpets so that there is a substantial demand for such carpets at the national and international level.
For the promotion of GI certified products, the government shall be providing 10 percent incentives on exports to such units who manufacture and sell such products.
With a view to encourage GI certified products, only authorized users of concerned GIs shall be provided requisite support for their participation in local, national and international marketing events to be organized by Handicrafts and Handloom Department, Kashmir shortly, the handout said.
Earlier, Directorate of Handicrafts and Handlooms Kashmir has also announced MSP for hand-spun and hand-woven Pashmina, and all the departments have been requested to effect purchases on the MSP rates.
