NEW Delhi, Aug 12 (NVI) : The Jammu and Kashmir government on Wednesday launched ‘JK Karigari’, an official marketplace aimed at taking authentic handicrafts and products from the Union Territory to national and global markets.
The platform was launched during the Bharatiya Vyapar Mahotsav here as an initiative of the Housing and Urban Development Department under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM).
The initiative seeks to empower urban women Self Help Groups (SHGs), preserve traditional crafts and create sustainable livelihood opportunities by connecting artisans directly with buyers.
The platform will showcase Kashmiri handicrafts, including Pashmina, Kani and Sozni shawls, papier-mache, walnut wood carving, crewel embroidery and carpets, besides organic local produce. It will also feature traditional handicrafts and food products from Jammu, including Chabri, macrame home and devotional decor and wooden crafts.
Each product listed on the platform will carry a QR code containing details of the artisan, district and Geographical Indication (GI) tag, officials said. The system is intended to ensure traceability and authenticity, with payments going directly to artisan groups without middlemen.
Commissioner Secretary, Housing and Urban Development Department, Mandeep Kaur described the initiative as a “game changer for urban women artisans” and said it would provide them with a government-backed platform to access customers beyond local markets.
She said around 4,000 SHGs, comprising nearly 50,000 women members, are currently associated with DAY-NULM across Jammu and Kashmir.
The government is also exploring further interstate collaborations to expand the market reach of SHG products, she said.
Kaur said the initiative brings together heritage, technology and inclusive growth, with the objective of ensuring artisans receive a fair price while consumers get authentic products directly from their makers.
Officials said SHG members have undergone skill-upgradation and capacity-building programmes aimed at improving craftsmanship, product quality and market readiness.
The launch also builds on an agreement signed in November 2024 between the National Urban Livelihoods Mission, Jammu and Kashmir, and the Uttar Pradesh Handicrafts Development and Marketing Corporation Limited to promote SHG products and handicrafts from Jammu and Kashmir in Uttar Pradesh and vice versa.
The agreement seeks to improve market access, increase incomes and promote economic self-reliance among artisans and SHG members through cross-learning and sharing of best practices.
Several senior officials, MPs and representatives of SHGs attended the launch. The beneficiary artisans also shared their experiences and thanked the government for providing them with a wider marketing platform.
Officials appealed to the public and institutional buyers to explore the ‘JK Karigari’ collection, describing the platform as a bridge between Jammu and Kashmir’s traditional craftsmanship and contemporary markets.(NVI)
