Leh, April 10: The Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, R K Mathur inaugurated the training programme on packaging under the initiative of Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav at Sindhu Sanskriti Kendra here today.
Around 200 participants including 60 females and 10 males from Kargil district and 120 female artisans from Leh district are participating in the first batch of the training programme on packaging for products of UT Ladakh conducted by the Department of Industries & Commerce, Ladakh in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Packaging, GOI and NIELIT, Ladakh.
Addressing the gathering, the Lt. Governor said that Ladakh has a huge potential in handloom and handicraft sectors which he observed is predominated by women. He added that UT Administration is making endeavours to develop a women-centric approach to give them the direct benefit of opportunities to enhance their livelihood and income source. LG cited the figures of around Rs.52,000 crores volume of handloom and handicraft products produced at homes in India and said that a similar kind of production can be done by women in Ladakh sitting at home. He shared the developmental approach adopted by UT Administration to provide job avenues and income generation through production done at home with the objective to improve and promote local art and craft at the national as well as international level.
The Lt. Governor spoke high of the unique art and craft produced locally in Ladakh and exhorted the need to explore it further with improved design, packaging, branding etc, to increase its sell value. He said that this training programme is an effort to provide the local artisans with the required input, training and encouragement to enable them to sell their products at the national and international market, physically as well as through digital means. He made a mention of making Likir a craft village and opening a handicraft-handloom museum at Raj Niwas to promote the richness and legacy of local products. He advocated that it would not only augment family income but could also become an attractive component of rural tourism. He informed that UT Administration has approached NIFT, NID and IIP to work in this direction. He asserted that with hard work and teamwork Ladakh will make its brand name across the globe in coming times.
Speaking on the occasion, CEC LAHDC, Leh Tashi Gyalson urged all the participants to instil learning interest and take full advantage of the opportunities available at the doorstep. He stressed the importance of the presentation of a product to have selling value but exhorted on the need to adhere to ethics in maintaining the quality of the products that would carry the name of Ladakh.
Jamyang Tsering Namgial, MP Ladakh in his speech appreciated the UT Administration for taking up various initiatives that he hoped would help Ladakh build its identity. He spoke of the unique products of Ladakh and stressed the need to explore the possibilities of handloom and handicraft production to increase its contribution to the region’s economy. He said that with the help of such training programmes Ladakh can make a new face in the international market over the next 3 years.
Giving the welcome address, Saugat Biswas, Secretary Industries & Commerce, Ladakh shared that participants from various backgrounds such as artisans, craftsmen, weavers, dyers, potters, wood-craft experts from Kargil and Leh districts are participating in the training programme.
Parveen Kumar, Director, Ministry of Commerce & Industry in his introductory remarks said that the government of India is committed to provide packaging solutions to agro-based and handicraft and handloom products by developing a prototype and providing coordinates of the products. He said that the Indian Institute of Packaging and the Ministry of Commerce & Industry are dedicated to assisting the local artisans and they will be helping Ladakh to develop packaging for five assigned products.
DC, Leh Shrikant Suse, Director, Industries & Commerce, Ladakh Moses Kunzang and district officers were present on the occasion. Resource persons for the training session included Tanveer Alam, Director, IIP Delhi; Dr Gaurav Madhu, Joint Director, IIP Hyderabad; Subodh Juikar, Deputy Director, IIP Delhi and Rahul Tirpude, Assistant Director, IIP Delhi. The sessions included training-cum-workshop on packaging designs for various products of Ladakh such as handicrafts, pottery items, pashmina shawls, apparels, carpets. It also included a workshop on designing packages for food products including, seabuckthorn, apricots and silver and stone jewellery. An interactive session with the stakeholders was also held.
