J-K government has opened 653 handicrafts training centres

These training centres are mostly in rural areas of the Valley and are imparting specialised training in local crafts like weaving of carpets,shawls, Namdah,gabba,crewel,embroidery,papier mache,wood carving,chain stitch and the like.

The department is training around 7000 artisans every year and these artisans become available to the industry for promotion of local crafts.

“It is because of the these trainings centres which local craft is saved,promoted and projected as economic upliftment sector,” he said.

Under follow up training programme,industrial cooperative societies are formed by the outgoing trainees. There are over 700 such societies in the state.

The subsidy is paid by the department to these registered cooperative societies for the first three years on a tapering basis under plan component.

The handicrafts and handlooms items worth Rs 705 crore have been exported in 2009-2010.