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| Centre’s initiative helps rural women take up handicrafts in state | | | Sanjeev Sharma
Jammu | Sep 12
There is an upward curve among rural women in Jammu and Kashmir taking up traditional handicrafts of embroidery, paintings and soft toys thus enabling them to earn their livelihood in a dignified way.
The last two years reflect a quantum jump in the number of registered artisans with Jammu based Handicraft Marketing and Service extension centre of the central government’s Ministry of Textile.
“Since its inception in Jammu and Kashmir way back in 1985, the department till 2004 had 570 artisans registered with it but in the last two years 4500 more artisans mostly women have registered themselves,” said the centre head, Assistant Director, T K Koul, who looks after the affairs of four districts of Jammu, Samba, Rajouri and Poonch. In all, there are four such centres in the state.
Interestingly, the handicraft has become an all women affair with 99 per cent of the registered artisans in the four border districts belong to the fair sex although registration is open for both the genders.
The keen interest among women folk has been possible because of attractive incentives offered by the Ministry of Textile, Government of India including insurance cover (both life and medical) to these average artisans besides arming them with credit cards through the coordinator bank, which in case of Jammu and Kashmir is J&K Bank.
“Under life insurance cover, an artisan is insured for Rs 75,000 with Life Insurance Corporation of India against a petty premium Rs 200 only. The artisan insured has to remit only Rs 40, and the balance amount of Rs 160 is shared between the Ministry of Textile (Rs 60) and LIC (Rs 100),” disclosed Handicraft Promotion Officer of the Jammu Centre.
In addition, registered artisans are also covered under Rajeev Gandhi Shilpi Swasthya Bima Yojana by the Ministry of Textile. Under medical insurance, an artisan is secured for Rs one lakh by paying an annual premium of Rs 100 (for BPL/SC/ST) and Rs 200 (for general category). It, in fact covers a family of four with maximum of two children for reimbursement of medical expenses up to Rs 15,000 within the period insured for treatment in any nursing home and hospital that falls in the list of ICICI Bank.
Furthermore, in order to boost registered artisans, the Government of India has made a provision for credit facility through credit cards. Under this incentive, an artist will be provided a credit card with Rs 2 lakh limit under Prime Minister Scheme, which was launched three years back.
As also the Ministry of Textile provides a platform to these artisans to showcase their products by way of organizing exhibitions within and outside the state at regular intervals.
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