Handmade Kashmir carpets to get QR code certification

PTI, Feb 11, 2022, 11:03 AM IST

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Jammu: The handmade carpets in Jammu and Kashmir will now get QR code-based certification, which is a first-of-its-kind in the country.

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha launched the Quick Response Code-based mechanism for labeling carpets in the Union Territory.

With the QR-based application, customers can check and verify the authenticity and other requisite details of carpets produced in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Lt Governor observed that Jammu and Kashmir Handicrafts are repositories of India’s creative traditions that is serving as a cultural expression for centuries.

”This creative tradition is strikingly visible in handmade carpets with intricate designs & subtle shades. With the help of modern technology, we will be able to standardize the uniqueness of handmade carpets & boost exports of J&K’s carpet industry in the international market,” he added.

On the occasion, the Lt Governor also felicitated UT’s awardees of Handicrafts & Handloom.

”I truly admire the painstaking work of all the craftsmen and carpet weavers. The government is providing training & financial support to strengthen the priceless artistic and cultural heritage of J&K,” he said, noting that the Union Territory has a unique identity in the global market for handloom and handicraft products.

He said the Indian Institute of Carpet Technology has taken several important steps for GI certification, testing, labeling, and training to promote Kashmiri carpets.

”The Jammu and Kashmir government has introduced Export Incentive Scheme. Under this scheme, an incentive of 10 percent of the total volume of GI-certified Handicrafts and Handloom products exported to any country, with maximum reimbursement up to Rs 5 crore, shall be provided to eligible exporters registered with Department of Handicrafts and Handloom”, he added.

The Lt Governor further observed that presently carpets are being exported from Jammu and Kashmir to at least 25 countries. In 2020-21, carpets worth Rs 115 crore were exported to Germany, Rs 34 crore worth to the USA, Rs 36 Crore to UAE, and Rs 22 crore to the Netherlands, he said.

Mahmood Ahmad Shah, Director, Handicrafts & Handloom Kashmir gave a PowerPoint presentation on the background and present scenario of the handmade carpet industry of Jammu Kashmir, and the latest initiatives made by the Union Territory administration to promote it.