Srinagar: Director Handicrafts & Handloom Department (H&H Dept), Mahmood Ahmad Shah, today ordered some major reforms in the overall functioning of the Department including closure of Readymade Garment Centres, Cutting & Tailoring Centres and Toy & Doll Centers.
The reforms have been announced keeping in view the redundant activities that have crept in the running of the Training Centres of H&H Dept.
It was given out in the meeting that these activities were found to be in conflict with the departmental aims objectives and policy guidelines, therefore, with the approval of the Government such centres have been abolished and instead centres like Hand Spinning and Hand Weaving of Pashmina, Tweed and Putto have been introduced.
In addition, activities like darning and kalam kari will be given a special focus and the languishing crafts Silverware, Glazed Pottery and Filigree will be taken up for revival.
It is observed that strengthening the activities from the ground level shall help in strengthening the GI Products and ensuring the quality of the Handicrafts.
It has also been observed that there was no clear cut policy in running of both the elementary and advanced centres as such centres used to stagnate at one place for a longer period of time disrupting the skill dissemination.
It was ordered that a centre can function at one place for a maximum of two terms and has to necessarily move to a new location after the completion of the term. In order to bring transparency in the running of these Training Centres, a dashboard type of software has been designed in collaboration with NIT to ensure real time monitoring.
Post merger of the Handicrafts & Handloom Departments, a Handicrafts & Handloom Policy has been announced which spells the road map for skilling people in various crafts and ensuring its long term survival
Prior to their merger both the Departments used to run 432 Training Centres aimed to skill people in different crafts.
