Srinagar, Aug 07: NABARD marked the 10th National Handloom Day with a special event for female artisans and weavers at Shangas, Anantnag. The celebration, attended by a large number of local female artisans, showcased NABARD’s commitment to supporting Kashmir’s rich cultural heritage in arts and crafts.
Rouf Zargar, DDM NABARD, highlighted the organization’s initiatives for artisans, including the formation of off-farm producer organizations, livelihood enterprise development programs, and skill development initiatives under the NABSKILL program. He emphasized NABARD’s efforts in marketing support, such as sponsoring artisans for national exhibitions and providing grants for Rural Haats and Rural Marts.
Nisar Ahmad, Director RSETI, discussed their role in offering entrepreneurship development training to weavers, enabling them to set up bank-financed units at home. Abdul Qadeer, Handloom Training Officer, elaborated on various government schemes available to artisans, including the weavers MUDRA scheme and Artisans Credit Card Scheme.
The event also saw participation from officials of the Handloom and Handicraft department, NRLM block officials, and representatives of Humanity NGO. NABARD recognized several prominent artisans for their contributions to the handloom sector.
This celebration underscores NABARD’s ongoing efforts to boost the handloom industry in Kashmir, focusing on empowering female artisans and preserving local craft traditions while promoting economic growth in the region.