CEPC Srinagar Office Inaugurated by Hon'ble Textile Minister on 23 FEB 2019

The Indian Handmade carpet Industry is an age-old industry and has made significant strides in the recent past. The Industry is highly labour intensive and provides employment to over 2 Million workers directly and indirectly in the rural areas especially Women in their homes. After Iran, Kashmir carpets are one of the most expensive carpets in the world. Now Kashmir is also producing modern designed carpets.

State of J&K is a traditional handicraft state and famous for handicrafts and carpets. Kashmir is famous for exquisite high-quality hand-knotted woollen and silk carpets which are symbolic of quality and finesse. These carpets have a typically local character imbued in every knot which transforms mere material into magnificent creations of silk and wool with colors and designs that are second to none. Pure Silk Carpets from Kashmir are matchless in design, craftsmanship and feel. These carpets are woven with 324-2500 knots per square inch and even 4000 knots per square inch and Persian designs are followed. The main carpet producing areas in J & K are Baramulla, Bandipura, and Anantnag, Badgam, Pulwama, Kupwara, Srinagar & Jammu. There are approximately 40,000 Carpet Looms in J & K and estimated artisans are around 1.50 lakhs.

Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani, Hon’ble Minister for Textiles, Government of India has inaugurated Srinagar office of Carpet Export Promotion Council in the premises of IICT Srinagar through Video Conferencing on Saturday, the 23^rd February, 2019 at 12.30 p.m. in the presence of Mr. Shantmanu, IAS, Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Mr. Ratnesh Kumar Jha, Addl. Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Mr. Mahavir Pratap Sharma, Chairman CEPC, Smt. Purnima Mittal, Additional District Development Commissioner Srinagar, Mr. Zubair Ahmad, Director IICT, Mr. Umer Hameed, 2^nd Vice-Chairman, CEPC & Mr. Sanjay Kumar, Executive Director, CEPC, Mr. Gulam Nabi Dar from Carpet Manufacturers Association and Mr. Fiaz Ahmad, Exporter.

Hon’ble Minister in her address expressed happiness and wished that CEPC’s Srinagar office will be beneficial for all the stakeholders and it will lead to enhance exports on the one hand and on the other hand open new avenues for more employment opportunities in the Region.

Hon’ble Minister informed that 90,000 applications have been received for the registration under Pahchan initiative and 60,000 Pahchan ID Cards have been distributed to the artisans so far. She desired for more such initiatives for the benefit of the weavers/ artisans.

On the occasion Hon’ble Minister also interacted with the Members of the Industry on the issues and concern of the Government on Handmade Carpet Sector and assure full support to the industry for its growth.

1. Textile Committee in partnership with DCH and CEPC will provide special lab testing facilities at IICT in Srinagar.

2. CEPC and DCH assure availability of designers in collaboration with institutes like National Institute of Design (NID), FDIC etc.

3. Wool Bank will be opened in collaboration with Wool Development Board to ensure availability of sufficient raw wool through the follow up of the office of the Dev. Comm. Handicrafts.

4. Common Washing, Dying and ETP Projects to be initiated by CEPC through the office of the DCH and textile ministry.

5. For reduction of GST on Pashmina Shawls a suitable proposal of the industry will be recommended to the Ministry of Finance from Ministry of Textiles.

6. CEPC will work closely with JKTPO to help the marketing and branding requirement of the manufacturers and traders from J&K at trade shows within India and across the globe.

7. CEPC to run awareness campaign to educate Members of the J&K Region about no applicability of GST on weavers of Pashmina shawls and Silk carpets, who make less than 40 Lakhs per annum.

Mr. Mahavir Pratap Sharma, Chairman, CEPC on the occasion mentioned that with the support of Ministry of Textiles and Committee of administration he is able to open CEPC’s Regional office at Srinagar, which is a mile stone in the growth journey of the Council and Handmade Carpet Industry. Mr. Sharma mentioned that the Srinagar office will be helpful for better coordination between Member Exporters and Council.

The entire carpet industry in Srinagar was thankful to the Minister and her proactiveness of announcing all the schemes on the spot. The minister in turn thanked the Honb’le Prime Minister and his leadership for supporting all industries’ specially carpets in J&K.