SRINAGAR: First of its kind, Jhelum & Tawi Flood Recovery Project (JTFRP) is going to prepare a comprehensive artisan database of more than four lakh artisans associated with different crafts in the state.
Giving the details about the project, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) JTFRP/JKERA, Dr Raghav Langer said, The purpose of the project is to improve the reach, target and effectiveness of various handicraft oriented state and central schemes to the artisans of J&K.
JTFRP has signed a contract agreement to this effect with a private company M/s Spectrum Planning (India) Limited.
As per the agreement, the company will undertake the census of craft practitioners in J&K and develop a complete Artisan Database.
The CEO said that the Artisan Census will cover over more than four lakh estimated artisans associated with major crafts across Jammu and Kashmir.
The Artisan Census shall be carried out using State of the Art Technology wherein the data shall be collected using an Android-based mobile application which will be Geo-tagged and directly fed into the MIS database. The Artisan Census will be first of its kind comprehensive survey of the Artisans across the State of J&K is scheduled to be completed by May 2020.
Director Handicrafts, Mr. Inderjeet said that although the Department has generated a database of some artisans through registration, but it lacks the socio-economic profile and other details of the artisans.
He said that state-wide census will help us in identifying the artisan clusters, raw material requirements, need for upgradation of tools and machinery, Direct Benefit Transfer etc.
