Leh: Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has approved two major initiatives to strengthen Ladakh’s Pashmina sector, including a 25 per cent production-linked incentive for herders and an Rs 8-crore revolving fund for cooperative procurement of raw Pashmina.
The decisions were taken at the first meeting of the newly constituted Ladakh Pashmina Development Board, according to an official statement.
The Lieutenant Governor approved the Livestock Development Incentive Programme, under which eligible Changpa herders will receive a top-up incentive equivalent to 25 per cent of the total procurement value of their Pashmina over and above the government procurement price. The incentive will be transferred directly to beneficiaries through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system.
According to the statement, 60 per cent of the incentive is to be utilised for livestock improvement and scientific breeding, 20 per cent for infrastructure such as improved combing equipment and production facilities, while the remaining 20 per cent may be used by the herders for household and personal needs.
The Board also set a target to increase the population of Changthangi Pashmina goats in Ladakh from nearly two lakh to four lakh over the next three years and raise average raw Pashmina production from about 200 grams to 350 grams per goat through scientific breeding and improved husbandry practices.
In a second decision, Saxena approved the creation of an Rs 8-crore revolving fund for the All Changthang Pashmina Growers Cooperative Marketing Society Ltd. to facilitate procurement of raw Pashmina directly from Changpa pastoralists.
The fund will be used exclusively for procurement and timely payment to producers. Under the new system, herders will receive 50 per cent of the procurement amount upfront, with the balance to be paid within two months. Earlier, payments reportedly took between eight and ten months, often forcing pastoralists to borrow money to meet livestock-rearing expenses.
According to the statement, the two initiatives are aimed at increasing Pashmina production, strengthening the cooperative procurement system, improving the quality and quantity of Ladakh Pashmina, preventing distress sales and making Changthangi goat rearing more economically viable for the Changpa pastoral community.
Saxena said the administration is committed to safeguarding the livelihoods of Changpa pastoralists while preserving Ladakh’s unique pastoral heritage. He said the two initiatives would strengthen the entire Pashmina value chain by improving productivity, ensuring assured procurement and timely payments, reducing dependence on middlemen and enhancing the global competitiveness of Ladakh Pashmina.
The decisions followed consultations with Changpa herders, cooperative societies, designers, industry experts and other stakeholders, the statement added.
