Srinagar: The craft safari tour, which was started by the administration in Jammu and Kashmir last year, with an aim to revive the  handicraft sector has gained momentum,media reports said.

At a time when the Handicraft Sector was suffering huge losses for the past 3 decades, the Government decided to undertake this initiative to help local artisans, reports ANI.

The government started a Unique Programme ‘Craft Safari tour’ in 2021 for the overall promotion of the handicraft sector, officials told the Indian news agency, adding that, from day one, the department of the handicraft sector is getting a positive response.

Under the Supervision of the Director Handicraft Kashmir, Officials paid weekly visits to different workshops and residential Houses to check and listen to their grievances.

Mehmood Shah, Director of Handicrafts Kashmir told ANI, “We started this initiative in December 2021. We have received a positive response this year so far. Tourists expressed their desire to visit Craft Tour. Every week 4-5 groups of officials visit and get feedback about the work of artisans. Seeing a positive response, We have decided to expand our work”.

Shah further said they have also started the process of registration in order to ensure not a single artisan is left out.

Artisans appreciated the steps taken by the government.

“This is a very good step taken by the government. But this initiative should be continued. If this initiative is stopped midway, then we will remain in the same situation. It is not easy to learn this trade. Nowadays, Everyone wants to have money. but nobody is ready to work. One will have to take time to get mastery over this trade,” Munir Ahmad an artisan said to ANI.

Speaking to ANI, Mariyam, A PhD Scholar at Kashmir University said, “I appreciate the Department of Handlooms and Handicrafts for conducting such a meaningful event, like the Craft Safari. We all participated in Craft Safari and learned a lot of things. Artisans of Kashmir are famous all over the world. We wanted to know about the whole process. we wanted to know about the problems faced by artisans who are in this trade”.