Srinagar, August 15: In an important push towards the protection of the unique cultural heritage of Jammu and Kashmir and to increase the livelihood of their artisans and farmers, Chief Secretary, Atal Dulu today directed the Department of Industries and Commerce to prepare a target plan to fully take advantage of the benefits of UT’s geography (GI).
Presiding over a meeting convened to chalk a strategy to unlock the economic and cultural capacity of GI products, the Chief Secretary emphasized the need for strong measures to ensure the quality, authenticity and global recognition of these items.
The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary, Department of Agriculture Production (APD); Commissioner Secretary, Industry and Commerce; Secretary, Department of Industries; Director, Handloom and Handicrafts, Kashmir/Jammu and other senior officials.
The Chief Secretary underlined the importance of strengthening the traceability characteristics of a GI-tagged handicraft to protect him from forgery.
He directed to increase testing facilities in J&K and called for the NABL recognition of the Pashmina Testing and Quality Certification (PTQCC) in Kashmir to increase its acceptance in international markets.
Highlighting global best practices, Principal Secretary, APD, Shailendra Kumar suggested developing tampering-proof labels for each product, describing its unique characteristics, original location and manufacturer.
He proposed a quality enforcement mechanism, under which substandard products can be fined vendors, which are successfully on the system that successfully commissioned in some parts of Europe. He also insisted on raising visitor awareness about the crafts of Jammu and Kashmir through billboard and IEC materials on craft villages.
Commissioner Secretary, Industries and Commerce, Vikramjit Singh said that UT has done extensive GI-tagging for its traditional crafts to secure local craftsmanship, protect strong artisans and improve market access to authentic products.
Director, handicrafts and handloom, Kashmir, Masrat-ul-Islam said in their presentation that the purpose of GI certification is to preserve traditional skills while preventing forgery. He said that in each GI-tag craft, now a QR code label with major details such as manufacturers, artisans and material specifications, which ensures transparency and quality assurance.
The meeting was further informed that the IICT is Srinagar Laboratory NABL certified, while the PTQCC is upgraded with an optical fiber diameter analyst (OFDA), to greatly boost the test capacity and reduce the waiting time. There is also a proposal for the establishment of a new quality control laboratory dedicated to eight newly registered GI crafts.
It was further discovered that the Indian Institute of Carpet Technology has trained over 11,000 artisans, digitized several carpets and kani designs, and set up a common feature center for yarn dyeing.
As far as GI registered products are concerned, it was given that by March 2025, 15 crafts of Kashmir Division have been registered with GI tag, including Sozni, Carpet, Pashmina Shawl, Kani Shawl, Papir Machi, Walnut wood carvings, Khatamband, Khawel, Shukara, Nemada, Twidy, tweed, tweed, tweed, tweed, tweet, Tweed, tweed, tweed, tweed are included. From Jammu Division, Basohli Pashmina, Rajaurichikri Wood and Basohli painting have achieved GI status.
In agriculture, seven products such as Kashmir Saffron, Basmati rice, Mukusha Budji Rice, Bhadarwah Rajash, Ramban Sulai Honey, Udhampur Kaladi, and Ramban Ananadahe received Gi Tags, while others like Ferran and Kangri will be taken soon for their registration.
This broad initiative reflects the commitment to preserve its centuries -old traditions of Jammu and Kashmir, to increase the credibility of the product and create opportunities for permanent livelihood for its people.