BANDIPORA: Handicrafts Department Bandipora Saturday organized a day-long artisan awareness cum registration camp.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Bandipora Zahoor Ahmad Mir inaugurated that camp while, Assistant Director Handicraft/Handloom Bandipora, Rahila Qadri, Director RSETI,Manzoor Hamdani, Lead District Manager Bandipora Mehraj ud Din Wani, Handicraft Training Officer Bandipora and Sumbal, AHTOs, Craft instructors, DDC and BDC chairmen besides large number of artisans attended the camp.
On the occasion, ADC Bandipora said that the objective of organizing the camp was to make artisans aware of various welfare programmes and schemes of the department.
He appealed to the artisan fraternity to come forward and get themselves registered with the department so that the benefits available for them are availed off by them without any difficulty and they are helped to stand on their own.
On the occasion officers apprised the participants about the schemes being rub for their welfare and made them aware about the training programs including corporatisation, availability of design facility from school of Designs Srinagar, benefits of newly launched Credit Card Scheme of Rs two lakhs having 7 percent subsidy available for five years from the date of disbursement.
Assistant Director Handicrafts Rahila Qadri said the department is making efforts to make sure that the benefits of newly designed schemes for artisans percolate to the targeted beneficiaries. She said that the handicraft sector has witnessed a glorious past and it is high time to revive the sector with the help of modern technology and schemes in place.
She said since the establishment of the Bandipora district in 2007, 7275 trainees have been trained in the district in different crafts including carpet weaving, Sozni, embroidery, wood carving, chain stitch, staple and gabba craft out of which 2040 trainees have been trained in sumbal block and during the same period 20633 artisans have been registered in the district.
She said during the last financial year the department has disbursed an interest subsidy of Rs 3.87 Crore in favor of artisans and efforts are on to clear the backlogs at earliest.
The department also highlighted various schemes that are in place for the benefit of the artisans to promote the handicraft sector, besides raising the socio-economic status of the artisans and also showcase their products.

KR Desk