Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) rolled out multiple employment generation activities in Jammu & Kashmir to celebrate 151st birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi on Friday. Under Kumhar Sashaktikaran Yojana, KVIC Chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena distributed electric potter wheels to 100 potter families in Baramulla while also inaugurating the training of artisans in Crewel embroidery and Sozni Embroidery in Ganderbal and Pulwama districts. He also launched the training of artisans in willow work, a popular local art, in Baramulla district of Jammu & Kashmir.

The activities are part of the 150 mega events organized by KVIC across the country to celebrate 151st Gandhi Jayanti. These activities are expected to create livelihood for over 500 people in the state.

KVIC Chairman instructed the local KVIC officials to initiate the process for setting up two SFURTI clusters in Jammu & Kashmir for the embroidery work and for making paper mache, the peculiar Kashmiri handmade paper product. He lauded the artisans of Jammu & Kashmir saying they had the capacity and the talent of producing some very unique products including pottery.

“Gandhi ji had always emphasized on empowering the Kashmiri people through Khadi. Our Prime Minister too has a special place for Kashmir in his heart and KVIC is working to fulfill this dream of the Prime Minister by creating sustainable employment opportunities in the state. Several art forms of Kashmir like Crewel and Sozni embroidery, Pashmina shawls, paper mache and its pottery are internationally acclaimed. By providing artisans proper training, advanced equipment and marketing platform, these products can definitely make them aatmanirbhar,” Saxena said.

A number of artisans including potters present on the occasion interacted with the KVIC Chairman and thanked him for providing them with the support they needed to earn a better livelihood. Mushtaq, a potter who was given an electric potter wheel by KVIC, said his work would be easier now with this equipment and that his daily production of clay material and his income would also increase significantly.