BUDGAM, JUNE 06: Jammu and Kashmir government has notified 32 new crafts last year and the number of registered crafts has now increased to 60.
“In June 2023, the administration notified 32 new crafts, and at present the total number of registered crafts has increased to 60. It is also being ensured that every handicraft artist and weaver gets the benefit of GI certification, testing, labeling, and training,” said Lt Governor Manoj Sinha.
He was speaking after inaugurating the two-day annual Youth Festival of the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) “SPECTRUM-24” at the Ompora campus.
In his address, the Lt Governor congratulated the NIFT Srinagar for providing opportunities to the students of educational institutions of Kashmir Valley to explore their hidden talents in performing arts, sports, fashion shows, and literary programs.
“Our youth power is building a prosperous future of J&K. Youth are our biggest strength and they are committed to taking the UT to greater heights”, the Lt Governor said.
He said the two-day festival is also an opportunity for Youth to exchange innovative and creative ideas for promoting our rich cultural and artistic heritage.
On the occasion, the Lt Governor commended the contribution of NIFT Srinagar in the area of design development and positioning of handlooms and handicrafts and providing new career avenues to the aspiring youth of J&K in Fashion, Design, and Management.
Our handloom and handicraft sector has undergone a major revolution in the last 4-5 years. Students of NIFT can play a decisive role in the design development and positioning of handloom and handicraft products, he observed.
He advised the students to get acquainted with the precious handicraft tradition of Jammu Kashmir so that they could assist the Handicrafts Department in brand positioning and incubate new ideas in different product categories.
The Lt Governor also talked about the policy reforms introduced by the UT Administration to transform the handicraft and handloom sector.
He called upon NIFT students and faculty members to support artisans in brand positioning, product designing, and packaging.
The Lt Governor also highlighted the important role of academic institutions in establishing India as a Knowledge economy.
The higher education sector in J&K is going through reformative changes. Institutions like NIFT should also make the necessary reforms, aligned with NEP 2020, to meet the future needs of the market, he further added.
This year’s NIFT Youth Festival has been organized under the theme of “Rangreza” in which more than 600 students will be participating in 24 events like Best out of Waste, Mural Art, Frame within the Frame, Battle of Bands, Mental Marathon, Open Mic, etc.
Vijay Kumar Bidhuri, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir; Vikramjit Singh, Commissioner Secretary, Industries & Commerce Department; Akshay Labroo, Deputy Commissioner Budgam; Dr. Javid Ahmad Wani, Director NIFT Srinagar, faculty members, student of NIFT and other participating institutions were present on the occasion.
