BANDIPORA, JANUARY 30: Handicrafts Department, Bandipora today organized a day-long awareness cum registration camp for artisans here.
The camp was inaugurated by Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Bandipora, Zahoor Ahmad Mir.
Addressing the gathering, the ADC said that the objective of organizing the camp was to make artisans aware of various welfare programmes and schemes of the department meant for their overall socio-economic progress.
He appealed to the artisan fraternity to come forward and get themselves registered with the department to avail the benefits.
On the occasion, officers apprised the participants about the schemes available for their welfare and made them aware about the training programs including availability of design facility from School of Designs Srinagar, benefits of newly launched Credit Card Scheme of Rs two lakhs having 7 percent subsidy.
Assistant Director, Handicrafts Rahila Qadri, said that 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 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.
Among others, 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.