SRINAGAR: The President of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), Javid Ahmad Tenga, on Tuesday raised a series of pressing issues concerning Jammu and Kashmir’s handicraft sector during an interaction with Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, held at the Government Arts Emporium in Srinagar.
The meeting was attended by senior officials of the Ministry of Textiles, Commissioner Secretary Industries and Commerce, Vikramjeet Singh, and Director Handicrafts and Handloom, Musurrat Islam.
At the outset, Tenga welcomed the GST Council’s decision to reduce tax on handicraft items from 12 per cent to 5 per cent, appreciating Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision. He noted that Kashmir’s handicrafts, with a legacy of over six centuries dating back to the arrival of Shah-e-Hamdan (RA), remain the primary source of livelihood for more than 3.8 lakh artisans.
Among the key demands, the KCCI called for the creation of a dedicated warehousing facility for Kashmiri handicrafts at Dubai Mart, a proposal that Tenga said has already been taken up with Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal. He also urged the government to provide greater opportunities for artisans and exporters to participate in national and international fairs, arguing that this would not only strengthen the sector but also contribute to the Prime Minister’s goal of making India the world’s third-largest economy.
Tenga voiced concern over the growing influx of cheap imitation products, which he said undermines the authenticity of Kashmiri crafts. He called for Kashmir-based artisans and exporters to be given assured participation in reputed trade fairs and suggested organising a Buyer-Seller Meet in Srinagar in collaboration with national councils. Such measures, he argued, would also boost tourism, which has suffered after the recent incident at Pahalgam.
The KCCI President pressed for the reintroduction of three per cent interest subvention on export finance to support small exporters and artisan businesses. On the issue of Remission of State and Central Taxes and Levies (ROSCTL), he highlighted that woollen and Pashmina shawls currently receive capped benefits of Rs 438 per piece, despite authentic Kashmiri shawls selling anywhere between Rs 7,000 and Rs 1,00,000. He said equating premium handcrafted shawls with low-value items created structural distortions and demanded the removal of caps and a return to the earlier FOB-based incentives under the MEIS scheme. Rao advised KCCI to make a representation on the matter.
Pointing to past successes, Tenga cited the recognition of Kanihama in Budgam as a Handloom Village and urged similar recognition for North Kashmir, famed worldwide for its handmade silk carpets, to be declared a “Carpet Cluster.” He also proposed identifying other artisan-dense districts as Handicraft Clusters to ensure targeted development.
Stressing the need for global outreach, he said Europe and the Middle East remain the core markets for Kashmiri handicrafts and sought structured trade delegations and market study tours under official schemes. The Secretary encouraged KCCI to submit a proposal identifying priority countries.
The meeting concluded with Rao assuring that the concerns and suggestions of the KCCI would be considered in future policy planning for the handicrafts sector.
