Ten day Advance Training prog on Chir Pine Handicraft commences at Nowshera Forest Division

Rajouri : A 10 day advance training programme in manufacturing of Handicraft items using Chir Pine needles was Tuesday organized by Nowshera Forest Division, here at Panchayat Saleri of Sunderbani Forest Range.
The training was organized jointly by Nowshera Forest Division and District Administration Rajouri. The objective of training was to create livelihood generation among women folk.
Vivek Verma, Conservator of Forest West Circle Rajouri said that the Forest Department will provide Chir needles to the women of SHG, so that they can prepare the Handicraft items using these Forest resources. He also said that the Forest Department will help all the SHGs in terms of training and marketing of their products.
Speaking on occasion, Neelima Shah, Divisional Forest Officer Nowshera said that Chir Pine Forests are vulnerable to Forest fire. Fallen chir needles are the major source of ignition material. Nowshera Forest Division wants to create a homogenous relationship between forest dwellers and the Forest Department. “To create such a relationship we started a training programme on preparation of Handicraft items using Chir Pine needles. Till date we have trained more than 1501 women belonging to different villages,” he added. These women are preparing a number of artifacts using Chir pine Needles. The products prepared by these4 SHGs are market ready now.
Vinod Benyal, Additional Deputy Commissioner Sunderbani said that District Administration is going to conduct such training programs on a large scale so that more and more women would get self employment. Bal Krishan Sarpanch Hathal-B, thanked Rajesh Kumar Shavan, Deputy Commissioner Rajouri and Neelima Shah IFS, Divisional Forest Officer Nowshera for organizing this programme. He also thanked Rakesh Verma Range Forest Officer Sunderbani and Ved Parkash Block Forest Officer Dharamsal for their untiring efforts to make this programme successful.
Rakesh Verma Range Forest Officer Sunderbani, while presenting vote of thanks said there are 04 SHG which are fully trained now, we have prepared our master trainers, who can impact training to any SHG, the master trainers, have prepared number of items which are worth marketing. He thanked Rajesh Kumar Shavan, Deputy Commissioner Rajouri for organising the 10 days’ advance training programme at Salheri, he also thanked Neelima Shah, Divisional Forest Officer Nowshera for sparing her valuable time to encourage the trainees, he thanked Vinod Banyal, Additional Deputy Commissioner Sunderbani for his valuable guidance, he also thanked Bal Krishan Sarpanch Hathal-B who made the whole event successful besides Ved Parkash Block Forest Officer Dharamsal and all staff of Sunderbani Forest Range.