J&K aims to increase handicraft, handloom exports to Rs 2,000 crore by 2030
Srinagar, Sep 17: As Jammu and Kashmir aims to increase handicraft and handloom exports to Rs 2,000 crore by 2030, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo today directed Industries and Commerce Department to identify challenges requiring immediate intervention and prepare a year-wise strategy with clearly defined targets, milestones and timelines.
He issued the directions while reviewing an action plan aimed at increasing the Union Territory’s handicraft and handloom exports from the current level of around Rs 800 crore to Rs 2,000 crore by 2030.
Chairing a meeting here, Dulloo stressed the need for a detailed assessment of the sector’s strengths, competitive advantages and challenges before finalising the implementation framework, an official statement said.
The Chief Secretary also called for a comprehensive plan focusing on capacity building, infrastructure development, establishment of clusters and better organisation of artisans and craftsmen.
He asked officials to prepare a blueprint for leveraging Central government incentives and schemes while introducing suitable UT-specific interventions to boost exports of high-value craft products.
Dulloo emphasised that the assessments and projections forming the basis of the action plan should be scientific, evidence-based and supported by robust data.
Commissioner Secretary, Industries and Commerce, Vikramjit Singh briefed the meeting on the strategic framework for 2026-2030, which seeks to align the national export vision with coordinated Union Territory and district-level interventions.
He said J-K had improved its position in the national Export Preparedness Index among small states, northeastern states and Union Territories, moving from 36th position in 2020 to second in 2024.
The proposed framework includes a State Export Action Plan and District Export Action Plans, with interventions tailored to the competitive strengths of individual districts, the statement said.
According to the action plan presented by Director, Handicrafts and Handloom, Kashmir, Mussarat Islam, the active registered exporter base is proposed to be increased to 15,000 by 2030 from the present 269 active RCMC exporters.
The plan also envisages 100 per cent GI-QR tagging of exports to improve authenticity and traceability, promotion of Rs 100 crore in e-commerce exports and increasing utilisation of free trade agreements to more than 50 per cent from the current level of below 20 per cent.
Immediate interventions planned for the next two years include expansion of the Artisan Credit Card, setting up Export Textile Planning Cells under Tex-RAMPS and launching the “Soulful J-K” GI branding campaign.
Medium-term measures include introducing ESG and EUDR compliance certifications for more than 100 manufacturing units and establishing raw material banks.
The action plan also proposes leveraging Central schemes of the Ministry of Textiles, including the Rebate of State and Central Taxes and Levies (RoSCTL) and SAMARTH for capacity building in the textile sector.
It also seeks to utilise the J-K Export Subsidy Scheme, 2021, under which eligible exporters can avail an export subsidy of 10 per cent, subject to a maximum of Rs 5 crore per exporter.
The meeting concluded with an emphasis on institutional coordination, monitoring and timely implementation of the action plan to expand the global reach of J-K’s traditional crafts and support sustainable livelihoods for around 4.5 lakh artisans and craftsmen.—(BVI)
