Jammu Kashmir Handicrafts

Vision Statement - “The preservation and further development of the acclaimed Handicrafts of the state, by taking them to every nook and corner of the globe and to cater to this augmented demand by adequate proliferation and broad-basing the production, ensuring quality improvement in material, workmanship and design; in the process ensuring decent wages, welfare and organization of Artisans and contributing handsomely to the State economy”.

In precise:

We aspire to be - “The leading sector contributing to the state economy ensuring place of pride to the state & artisans of the state throughout the world, creating employment opportunities & ensuring decent living for all the Artisans.”

Mission Statement - In order to achieve these objectives, we are actively engaged in proliferation of craft expertise at the grass roots level through the well coordinated network of Handicrafts training centers, registration of all interested artisans, organizing them into cooperatives & SHGs, ensuring of quality control, design guidance, marketing assistance, working for welfare of the artisans and giving due recognition to the talented master crafts-persons.”

Citizen/ Client Identification - The unemployed unskilled youth in the age group above 14 years in the context of the training programme; registered Handicrafts Artisans in the context of Handicrafts Micro enterprises scheme; Registered Co-operative societies, Handicraft Units and Artisans for the purpose of Marketing interventions; The Handicrafts craft-ware sellers, proprietors of handicrafts Showrooms, Hawkers & vendors of handicrafts in the context of Tourist Trade Act & quality control enforcement and exports are the identified clients/ Citizens.

Statement of Services - We endeavor to achieve these laid down objectives & fulfill our obligations through our following wings/ Divisions.viz:

Trainings Division
Induscos Division
Quality Control Division
School Of Designs
Central Market/ Kashmir Haat
Handicrafts Development & Marketing Assistance.

Thus, we are engaged in:

Imparting of Training - Providing training for imparting craft skills in 31 identified crafts of the state through our 553 training centers operating throughout the state in every district at the grass roots level. The facility is open to all the unskilled, unemployed state subjects above the age of 14 years. Every division, district, & block is represented. Following crafts are covered:

	Kashmir Division	Jammu Division
1	Carpet	Bamboo craft
2	Sozni	Basohli painting
3	Crewel	Chickri Wood Craft
4	Tapestry	Lathe cum Lacquer
5	Wood Carving	Phoolkari
6	Staple Embroidery	Chamba Embroidery
7	Papier Machie	Nara Pranda
8	Chainstitch	Wheat Straw
9	Namdha	Modern Art
10	Gabba	Tilla Embroidery
11	Paper Pulp
12	Zari Embroidery
13	Leather embroidery
14	Kani Shawl
15	Willow Wicker
16	Copper ware
17	Silwer Ware
18	Calico Printing
19	Thanka Painting
20	carpet
21	Papu Shoe making

Apart from these craft groups under the trainings programme of the department, there are training centers in Carpet craft under the massive carpet scheme, within the department. The training centers are for duration of 1 year or 2 years dependent upon the nature of the craft taught in the training centre. For attracting the young talent towards acquirement of the craft skills, a monthly stipend @ Rs 500/= is provided to the trainees of elementary course and @ Rs.700/= to the trainees of advance course training centers. The maximum intake capacity of the training centers is generally 25 except for carpet weaving, cutting and tailoring & calico where it is 50, 50, & 20 respectively. It varies from 10 to 45 in different crafts. The basic skills of a particular craft are taught in the elementary-course training centre, which is usually of 1-year duration. Advanced skills are taught in the advance-course training centre which is of two years duration. The pass outs from the advance training centers are expected to earn a minimum wage for the respective craft prevailing in the market.

The Training centres usually expire on the expiry of the financial year. The interested persons are required to apply on plain paper with the concerned AHTO/Manager, where the training centre is due for expiry. The selection for elementary course training centers is made on the basis of interview. Preference is given to the socially/ economically backward/destitute applicants.

For Advance course training centers, the selection is made on the basis of a practical test in the concerned craft followed by an interview, again with the same preferences. At the successful completion of each stage of training, a training completion certificate is provided to the candidates.

After successful completion of the advance course training a trainee is eligible for registration as an Artisan in the respective craft, making him/her eligible for interventions under available state/ centrally sponsored schemes. Accordingly, as per recently adopted procedure, after successful completion of advance course training, the trainees are promptly issued registration certificates as a matter of routine from the same training centre within a period of One month from the expiry of the training centre, without having to apply for the same.

Mechanism of grievance redressal - For any grievance pertaining to Handicrafts training, the grievance can be redressed at the primary level of an AHTO who is the immediate officer in-charge of the Handicrafts Trainings and handicrafts extension at the grass roots level and with the manager carpet centre in case of carpet centre under Massive carpet Scheme.

In case the grievance somehow is not redressed at the level of an AHTO/Manager or the same is not within the competence of the officer, the next avenue of redressal is at the Handicrafts Block level where an HTO (Handicrafts Trainings Officer) and senior manager in case of carpet training centre under Massive Carpet Scheme is available for the same. Again if somehow the grievance is not redressed/ redress-able at his level, the next avenue available is that of an Assistant Director Handicrafts Trainings at District level or General manager MCS for carpet centers of MCS scheme, headquartered at Mandir complex Magarmal Bagh Srinagar.

Again in case of non redressal /non redress-ability of the grievance at this level the concerned citizen can approach the Deputy Director Trainings/Joint Director Handicrafts, Headquartered at the Official Headquarters of the Directorate of Handicrafts at Exhibition Grounds Kashmir Haat Srinagar or Udhyog Bhawan Jammu.

If the circumstances so warrant and if the grievance has not been redressed at these designated levels, the Director Handicrafts can be approached at the Directorate Headquarters as given hereinabove. The time frame for redressal at each level is from 5 to 7 days for redressal/ communication of response depending upon the nature of grievance.

Organization of Handicrafts Artisans into Co-operatives - The Induscos Wing of the Directorate of Handicrafts provides the services of bringing the Handicrafts Artisans under the co-operative fold. The basic philosophy behind organizing handicrafts co-operatives is to protect the interests of the individual artisans and to protect them from exploitation by the middlemen. Under the umbrella of a cooperative society, individual artisans arrange their affairs collectively thereby economizing on the costs and exploit the marketing avenues jointly ensuring regular work and decent wages for themselves.

Marketing Support - The set up envisages a pattern wherein a co-operative marketing society has to be at district level, There is an Apex level Marketing society, which is also a co-operative society registered under the co-operative societies Act by the Registrar Handicrafts Cooperatives (Director Handicrafts). The Apex Marketing society has individual societies as its members and its managing body has the representatives of the cooperative societies as its members besides departmental representation. The Apex Federation of Cooperatives sells the production of the individual cooperative societies through its outlets and in various exhibitions within and outside the state. Every cooperative society can sell its craft production to the Apex Federation directly or through the District Marketing society.

Managerial Subsidy - In order to give an initial start and to help the freshly registered cooperative society to run smoothly, Managerial Subsidy on tapering basis of 100%,66% &33% @Rs800/=,528/=&264/= per month per society is granted for the first three years, to the limit of Rs 19104/=for maintenance of records etc.

Eligibility - The Handicrafts co-operative society is a body of handicrafts artisans organized under the co-operative fold; therefore, the basic requirement is the prior registration of every individual member as a handicrafts artisan with the Directorate of Handicrafts. Every artisan registered with the Directorate of Handicrafts as artisan in unison with other registered artisans forming a group of minimum ten (10) artisans is eligible. The passed out trainees of the Advance course training centers who are duly registered as H/C Artisans are encouraged to form cooperative societies.

Procedure - A group of at least 10 registered Handicrafts Artisans, who have resolved among themselves to get organized under a cooperative society, need to jointly apply to the Assistant Registrar Induscos at the District level.

Copies of Registration Cards of the artisans along-with copies of state subject/photo identity Election Cards for identity verification are required to be appended with the joint application. Every member has to contribute Rs. 1000/= as individual share, besides contributing Rs.40/=per head for documentation charges. The Members share contribution alongwith the registration fee of Rs 200/= are to be deposited into the sundries account in any branch of co-op/ J&K Bank.

After submitting the above documents alongwith the receipt for Rs 10,000/= or above as the case may be and four sets of Byelaws and 2 sets of resolutions to the concerned Assistant registrar, inspection of the proposed society is conducted by the Inspector Induscos who explains the rights, responsibilities and norms of cooperative societies to the members and completes all the formalities on-spot, including taking signatures of every member on the prescribed sets of byelaws and resolutions.

The society members elect president & secretary among themselves. After submission of the complete documents, the papers are submitted to the Deputy registrar of the concerned division and there from to the Director Handicrafts (Registrar Industrial cooperatives) who signs the formal Registration certificate.

The certificate is handed over to the concerned society through the Assistant registrar concerned wherewith they have applied for registration. The certificate is issued within a period of 10 days after the date of submission of complete documents.

Redressal of Grievances - In case of any grievance, Assistant registrar of the concerned district needs to be approached and in case of non-redressal, Deputy registrar Inducos at Srinagar /Jammu needs to be approached and in case of non redressal/non-redressability Joint registrar Induscos at Srinagar needs to be approached and in case of non-redressability or non redressal at this level further redressal lies with the Director Handicrafts at Srinagar/Jammu.

Quality Control Services: Quality control standards are in force under the Namdha quality control act of 1960 in the state, Namdha Craft has been brought under its purview. Quality control certification is mandatory for export of Namdha outside the State. For availing this service, the concerned registered exporter is required to apply on plain paper whereupon the chemical analysis of a sample Namdha drawn at random from the lot is conducted and the result communicated to the party and quality specification seals affixed upon the quality tested Namdhas. Quality certification fee of Rs.0.20 per label for each Namdha is applicable; Apart from it, the facility is open to all citizens as well as all the domestic and foreign tourists, if they so desire to have their purchases (Namdha) quality checked from the quality control laboratory of the Department.

As regards the enforcement of quality standards, the enforcement squads of the Directorate of Handicrafts regularly conduct /make inspections and checks at various tourist hubs of the state and ensure compliance to quality standards under the provisions of the Tourist Trade Act.

Spurious and fake products are confiscated and fines imposed under the provisions of the T. T. Act. The sale of confiscated products is conducted as machine made stuff in accordance with the laid procedure for confiscated goods and remitted into the govt. chest. Quality control is also enforced in such exhibitions and marketing events which are sponsored by the Department outside the state.

Registration as Handicrafts sales outlet, Show-Room, Hawker etc. - Under the provisions of the Tourist Trade Act, it is mandatory for all such persons who are involved in direct sales of the Handicraft goods to the customers, to get registered as dealers, Hawkers etc with the Directorate of Handicrafts.

Procedure - The applicant has to apply on the letter-head of his business concern. whereupon, he/she is issued a set of application proforma copy and sample of affidavit, the specimen notice to be published in one of the leading local dailies inviting objections from the general public for registration of the sales unit under the given name and style within seven days.

Together with the copy of paper cutting 2 photographs, an affidavit on the prescribed proforma, the duly filled in application form is to be submitted in the office of the Dy. Director handicrafts Quality control at Solina Srinagar. After receipt of the complete application in the said office along with a copy of GR for an amount in the multiples of Rs 30/= upto the maximum of Rs. 150/= (certification fee per year is Rs. 30/-), the business unit is spot inspected by a team of the Q/C wing and whereafter the certificate is issued from within 15 days from the date of submission of the complete application form. The registrations certificate is valid for1/5years at the renewal fee of Rs. 30/150 respectively.

Redressal of Grievances: In case of any grievance, The Deputy Director Handicrafts Quality control at his office at Solina Bala needs to be approached. In case of non-redressal/Non-redress-ability, Director Handicrafts at Directorate Headquarters Jammu/Srinagar needs to be approached for redressal.

Design Assistance for Artisans/Craft Museum Facilities - One of the important facilities available for the registered Handicrafts artisans is the availability of new designs/design variants and unique colour combinations developed by the designers and master craftsmen at the School of Designs. These designs are a copyright property of the Directorate of Handicrafts. However, for the developments of the handicrafts and to benefit the poor Artisans these designs are provided free of cost to the registered artisans of the state.

The Artisan has to apply on printed application form available free of cost in the office of the Museum In-charge School of Designs, mentioning code Number of the design which the artisan has selected out of the available lot with the school of designs alongwith particulars of the applicant and the purpose of utilization etc. The artisan has to bear the copying costs only, depending upon the size of the design template. The service is provided generally on the same day and in some cases within a maximum of seven working days wherever the drawings/details are to be prepared fresh. There are no procedural hurdles. One person is provided a maximum of three designs at a time and the facility can be repeated after a gap of fifteen days.
The School of Designs maintains a repository of the traditional and new designs of the arts and crafts of the state. The design collection and the prized collection of preserved artifacts, which have heritage value, are at display in the museum of the School of Designs, open to all citizens of the country.

In-fact, the educational institutions are encouraged to take their students on an exploratory visit to the Craft Museum at the School of Designs, so that they are informed of their rich cultural heritage and appreciate its value and true potential. Besides, they can observe these Master craftsmen at work in the school of designs crafting new masterpieces, which are being added to the museum after completion photography is not allowed without permission.

Craft museum of the School of Designs has following facilities.

Display of traditional and contemporary designs.
Live demonstration of crafts.
Knowledge about raw materials used in Kashmir craft and craft heritage.
Vintage photo gallery.
Reference library for students and researchers.(Facility for outsiders available on Wednesday & Thursday from 2 to 4 pm). However, Books are not issued to any person.

Redressal of Grievances - In case of grievance, Chief Designer School of Designs at Kashmir Haat Srinagar is to be approached personally or at (o) 0194-2477210 Email:-craftsmuseum@gmail.com.

In case of non redressal/ non redress-ability of the grievance, the Director Handicrafts J&K, Sgr. / Jammu is to be approached at the addresses given hereinabove.

Government Central Market & Kashmir Haat - We maintain and control an authentic & exclusive market for Handicrafts of the State at Kashmir Govt. Central market Srinagar, wherein different varieties of Arts and Crafts of the state are displayed and sold at permanent stalls by the Stall Holders. The market is under active supervision of the Department and strict quality control is maintained. No bargaining is allowed and it is mandatory to provide a cash memo to the customer.

Kashmir Haat - Adjacent to the Central market is the Kashmir Haat Srinagar, wherein exhibitions are regularly held throughout the year by the state as well as the organizers from outside the state. Stalls are provided to the artisans in these events on a nominal daily rent of Rs 50/= per day.

Redressal of Grievances - For immediate help and grievance redressal, Manager Central Market needs to be contacted, the office being located in the Kashmir Haat Complex. Any complaints with regard to pricing, quality control etc be immediately brought into the notice of the Manager and the grievance shall be redressed on-spot.

Marketing Facilities to the Handicrafts Artisans - We provide marketing facilities to the registered Handicrafts artisans of the state in various expos and exhibitions within and outside the state. Regular marketing events are arranged in the national capital as well as in the leading cities of the country during the winter months (the proper season for such sales)

Export Registration - We are the registering authority for Handicraft export registration and we register the exporters and export houses. The registration with the Directorate of Handicrafts enables them to claim various benefits available under the EXIM policy in vogue from time to time.

Eligibility - Every manufacturer or merchant of handicrafts goods who happens to be a state subject is eligible to apply.

Procedure for Registration - Export registration of an individual exporter or an export house is done under two categories, viz i) Manufacturer Exporter ii) Merchant Exporter. The basic requirement for Export Registration is possession of Import-/Export Code (I. E. Code) which is allocated on application with the Joint Directorate General of Foreign Trade Office, located at Jammu.

Every interested eligible person is required to apply on the letterhead of his establishment for the export registration to the Director Handicrafts or Assistant Director Handicrafts (Exports), whereupon he is provided with a copy of a printed application (as per approved format laid down in the EXIM policy) form against a cost of Rs. 10/=

The completed application form is required to be submitted to the office of the Assistant Director Handicrafts Exports at provincial headquarters along with the “Financial Soundness certificate” from the concerned bank as per the supplied proforma. In addition to these requirements, In case of manufacturer Exporter, the applicant ought to be registered with the Directorate of Handicrafts as an artisan or a unit holder.
After receipt of the application complete in all respects in the designated office, no objection is sought by the Directorate of Handicrafts from the office of the Dy. Director General Foreign Trade (D.G.F.T) Jammu. Thereafter, in case of receipt of the N.O.C from the same, on-spot verification of the intending export house is carried by the office to scrutinize the documents & to verify the bonafide establishment of the firm. After establishment of the bonafides, the Registration Cum Membership Certificate (R.C.M.C) is issued in favour of the party. The RCMC is issued within a period of 10 days after receipt of the NOC from the office of the DGFT.

Validity - The R.C.M.C is valid for five years as per the EXIM policy. Same procedure is adopted for renewal after surrender of the original RCMC.

Marketing support to the Handicrafts Artisans - Marketing support is provided to the Handicrafts Artisans/Co-operative societies/Self Help groups units etc in various exhibitions expos within and outside the state.

Eligibility - Registration under the relevant category with the Handicrafts Department.

Procedure- The expos and exhibitions are organized outside the state every year especially during the winter season. Generally 30 to 35 stalls are available in each event. The exhibition events are duly advertised as and when the approval from the government is received for conducting an event.

Applications are invited through advertisements in reputed dailies of the state from the registered artisans, co-operative societies / SHGs etc. for participation in these exhibition events. Applications on plain paper are received from the interested persons in this regard in the office of the Development Officer at the Directorate Headquarters. The applications from co-operative societies are to be routed through the concerned Assistant registrars/Dy. Registrars. Appropriate representation is given to different craft varieties. Selection is made through draw of lots in case the number of applications exceeds the no. of stalls available in each craft category. No rentals are charged from the allottees.

Artisan Registration and availing of financial (loan) assistance under various schemes - For registration as a Handicrafts Artisans, there is a simple procedure in place. An applicant has to approach nearest Handicrafts training centre or Handicrafts Block office and apply with an AHTO or an HTO as the case may be on prescribed application form along with an affidavit on the prescribed proforma kept available at these offices. The applicant has to pay Rs.10/= as cost of the set of forms.

The completed forms along with an affidavit, copy of state subject certificate & two photographs, one pasted on the form and other loosely attached is to be submitted at any of these two offices. The form and the photograph has to be attested by a gazetted Officer. Upon submission of the application, the applicant is communicated the date when his craft test is to be conducted (within a week).

The requisite raw material/tools have to be brought by the applicant along with him. A unit holder has to apply through the same channel with similar procedure. However, in case the applicant wants to register his unit under some name and style, he has to publish a notice in leading local daily inviting objections within a week’s time.

Thereafter, the unit shall be inspected within a week. In case of passing of the test by an applicant Artisan and verification of bona-fides of the unit, the Registration Card in both the case is issued within a period of 7 days against a cost of Rs. 10/- The Artisans registration is valid till the lifetime of the Artisan.

Financial (Loan) Assistance - For availing of financial (loan) assistance, the Artisan has to apply at his nearest Handicrafts office of AHTO or HTO who shall forward the same to the concerned authorities within the Directorate and thereafter to the financial institutions. The copies of available schemes are annexed as annexure “B.”

Redressal of grievances - The mechanism for redressal of grievances is same as outlined herein above up to the level of Assistant Director, However in this case after ADH redressal is to be sought at the joint Director Handicrafts level and thereafter at the Level of Director Handicrafts. A reasonable time from viz 7 days at level is in place. Addresses: i. (for Kashmir Province) Joint Director Handicrafts Kashmir, Exhibition Grounds Kashmir Haat Srinagar. 2. Joint Director Handicrafts Jammu Udhyog Bhawan Jammu.

Talent Hunt/ Recognition to Artisans - We encourage talent in the handicrafts and give due recognition to the talented crafts-persons by conferment of annual state awards upon such artisans whose craft entries have been adjudged as best in each craft category. The awards are given in ten craft categories and three prizes (1st, 2nd & 3rd) in each craft category. The prize money given for the First prize amounts to Rs. 50,000/=, for the 2nd prize amounts to Rs. 30,000/= and for the 3rd prize amounts to Rs 20,000/=, Besides a citation is provided in each case. The prizes are given away at the hands of the state dignitaries which further boosts the morale of the award recipient artisans.

Eligibility - Every artisan registered with the Directorate of Handicrafts as an artisan is eligible to apply.

Procedure - The advertisements inviting applications from the interested artisans are published in the local dailies in the month of April every year. Application forms as per proforma are provided free of cost to every artisan who presents at the designated office in two divisions (Office of the Development Officer Handicrafts).

The applications for artisans of ladakh division are made available at the Assistant Director Handicrafts office at leh and Kargil. The duly completed forms along with affidavits are received up to 30th of April in the designated offices.

A committee of departmental officers/officials conducts the inspection of the workplaces of the applicant artisans at least once, in order to verify the authenticity of the authorship of the entry being prepared by the applicant artisan.

The craft entries are received in the designated offices up to 1st week of September against proper receipt. The craft entries so received in the designated office are codified and accordingly labeled so as to hide the identity of the applicant artisans. The selection committee meeting (constituted by the govt.) at the state level is conducted immediately thereafter, within a few weeks. The committee invariably includes acclaimed craft experts of such craft categories, whereof the entries are to be adjudged. Besides opinion of the Experts /Master Craftsperson’s from the School of Designs is taken in each case. After painstaking observations & thorough deliberations, the entries are adjudged qualified or otherwise for grant of awards/prize categories.

Redressal of grievances - For redressal of any grievance, the Development Officer at Srinagar/Jammu needs to approached for the respective Divisions and incase of Non-redressal /non-redress-ability at this level further recourse has to be taken to the Director Handicrafts at the addresses as mentioned hereinabove.