SRINAGAR: Chief Secretary,Atal Dulloo, today held a high-level meeting with Smt. Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary to the Government of India, Ministry of Textiles, to chart a forward-looking roadmap for the robust promotion and transformative development of the handicrafts, handloom and sericulture sectors in the Union Territory.
During the meeting, Chief Secretary sought the Ministry’s support to introduce advanced certificate courses in NIFT Srinagar’s craft sector, with a vision to eventually evolve them into full-fledged degree programs. He also emphasized the establishment of an incubation centre at NIFT aligned with the UT’s flagship Mission YUVA scheme, to skill and empower the youth.
Emphasizing the strategic role of QR coding in promoting authentic handmade products from Jammu and Kashmir, the Chief Secretary underlined its potential to not only enhance traceability and assure authenticity but also to expand market access, strengthen brand value, and build greater consumer trust, calling for its wider adoption across the craft and handloom sectors.
He further assured the Secretary, Textiles, that the J&K Government would soon resolve the pending issue of land transfer for the establishment of a Weaver Service Centre at Bemina, a step expected to significantly strengthen artisan-centric initiatives in the handloom sector.
During the deliberations, Secretary Textiles sought the intervention of the Chief Secretary to address issues related to NIFT Srinagar at its Ompora campus. She stressed the need for increased funding support and additional land allocation to transform the institute into a premier fashion technology centre of excellence.
Rao is on a two-day visit to Srinagar on 9th and 10th September 2025, during which she will interact with textile industry representatives, meet Heads of Departments of the Industries & Commerce Department, virtually inaugurate the Kanihama Craft Handloom Village, inaugurate the CSB Seri-Tourism Project at Manasbal, preside the distribution of Modified Modern Steel Carpet Looms to 100 beneficiaries at IICT Srinagar, and inaugrate Animal Fibre Quality Assurance Laboratory at SKUAST Kashmir.
The visit is expected to drive policy support, technical guidance, and resource allocation to accelerate the growth of J&K’s traditional sectors. It will boost skill development and employment, strengthen handicraft and handloom value chains via QR coding and market linkages, enhance infrastructure with the Weaver Service Centre and quality assurance facilities and promote sericulture-based tourism, while attracting greater national attention and investment to the Union Territory’s rich craft and textile ecosystem.
Also present at today’s meeting were Padmini Singla, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Textiles;. Vikramjit Singh, Commissioner Secretary, Industries & Commerce; Mussrat Islam, Director Handicrafts & Handloom Kashmir; Tannu Kashyap, Director General, National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) along with other senior officers from J&K administration.
The meeting underscores Government of India’s unwavering commitment to revitalizing traditional crafts in Jammu & Kashmir, empowering artisans, strengthening rural economies, and enhancing the region’s cultural identity on a global platform.