Jammu: In a bid to provide market linkage to local artisans, authorities in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri have taken an initiative of listing handicraft products on e-commerce platforms, an official said on Monday.

The products listed on online marketplaces like Amazon and GeM included ‘chikri woodcraft’, which has been practised for over a century with Thana Mandi area of Rajouri being its major centre, the official said.

He said wood from chikri tree is used in the making of a number of articles. This particular wood is light honey in colour and contains no grains.

One of the famous objects made with the chikri wood is the double-sided comb having extremely fine teeth. This variety of comb exhibits a delicate jali’ (mesh) work, the official said.

He said the products were launched on Amazon by the District Development Commissioner Rajouri, Vikas Kundal, in presence of a group of artisans who welcomed the initiative aimed at improving their living.

The administration is committed to providing the best platform to the artisans of the district where they can sell their products in an easy manner and this is the first move in this direction. Such steps will continue in future as well, Kundal said.

He said his administration is committed to provide best market linkages to the local artisans.

The district administration has already taken a number of steps to facilitate the artisans, including opening of rural haat at Muradpur.

Cooperative department Rajouri and Handicrafts played a major role in imparting necessary training to the artisans and market exposures, the official said.

He said the cooperative societies are being revived while an official was entrusted with the responsibility to promote the handicraft products online.

PTI

Press Trust of India