Srinagar, Mar 16 (KNS): National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) organised a stakeholders’ meet in association with PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry Kashmir Chapter with an aim to prepare a future roadmap for development of Off-Farm Sectors in Kashmir.
The stakeholders meet was focused on sectors of Handicrafts, Handloom & Carpet.
Qamar Javed, District General Manager, NABARD, and Expert Committee Chairman PHDCCI Kashmir Bilal Ahmed Kawoosa inaugurated the program and welcomed the experts.
P Balachandran Chief General Manager J&K NABARD graced the occasion as Chief guest. The other dignitaries attended the event with valuable suggestions were Inder Jeet KAS Director Handicrafts J&K, Rubina Kousar KAS Director Handloom J&K, Dr Ghulam Hassan Mir Director Life Long Learning Kashmir University, Mahmood Ahmad Shah KAS Director Industries and commerce Kashmir, Zubair Ahmad, Director IICT, Tahir Ahmad, Assistant Director, Handloom Weavers Centrer, Surinder Pal, Assistant Director O/D DC Handicrafts and all the Stakeholders of these sectors.
While addressing the gathering the dignitaries said that the NABARD has over the years evolved several refinance and promotional schemes for development of Off Farm Sector and has been making constant efforts to broad base and refine/rationalize its schemes in response to needs at the field level.
The event was organised, keeping in view the demand from these sectors for adoption new ways of development as well as focusing the issues faced by these sectors and its stakeholders.
Chief General Manager of NABARD J&K in his address said that Government intervention is required to establish market linkages for these sectors, and also urged the bankers to reach out to all the stakeholders, and called for coordination between farmers and experts to improve the bankers’ credit flow.
He said, “Programs like this have helped groups come up with success stories over years. We are still learning new things from events like this and are striving to be better every time. Also along the way, we are creating awareness and educating the stakeholders.”
The experts explained about significance of the development, opportunities on account of schemes of Government, increased credit flow, provision of credit to the unreached, and provision of linkages for small, cottage and village industries, handloom, handicrafts and other rural crafts and service sector in rural areas, developing markets for the these Off Farm Sectors and promoting innovations in farm and Off Farm sectors.
After the inaugural session, a brainstorming session was held for each sector wherein roadmap and recommendations where chalked out in the detailed discussion with respective stakeholders for each sector, representing the carpet sector Zubair Ahmad, Director IICT submitted the recommendations for Carpet sector, Tahir Ahmad, Assistant Director, Handloom Weavers Centrer for Handloom prepared the recommendations for Handloom sector and Surinder Pal, Assistant Director O/D DC Handicrafts along with assistant director handicrafts Mushtaq Ahmed prepared and submitted the recommendations for the Handicrafts sectors.
The stakeholders meet was concluded by SLBC, wherein J&K Bank was represented by Fayaz Ahmad Malik, Assistant Vice President, J&K Sate Cooperative Bank was represented by its Managing Director Mohd Latif and Chairman Ellaquai Dehati Bank put forward the recommendations and suggestions from Banking Sector. (KNS)