The artisans in Kashmir valley will soon be able to sell their stuff on the online platform “Flipkart”. The Jammu and Kashmir Trade Promotion Organization has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in June this year with an online business platform for the upliftment of local artisans.
According to a department of handicrafts and handloom, An online marketplace is being created to link customers and regional craftspeople directly. This would support the artisan.The JKTPO is also organizing an event in this regard in both divisions of UT Jammu and Kashmir. The events will take place in Jammu on 2nd September and on September 5th in Srinagar.
In November last year, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) selected Jammu and Kashmir’s Srinagar city for UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) 2021 for arts and crafts.
JKPTO said the objective of the event is to democratize digital commerce and increase the access and participation of digital commerce in Jammu and Kashmir, thus enabling industries, small businesses, traders, craftspeople, farmers, retailers, logistic service providers, local e-commerce companies, as well as consumers to access products and services digitally by using any compatible platform or applications, thus increasing the freedom of choice for consumers of J&K through ONDC.
The officer said that all the preparations in this regard are going in full swing and soon the local artisans will be able to sell their products online. He continued that initially, the JKTPO has signed the MoU with Flipkart, but gradually it will be the MoU that is signed with other online platforms.
According to Sajad Ahmad, an artisan from Downtown Srinagar, the same was announced in 2020 and, despite the passage of two years, there has been no progress.
He said at present, everything is sold online but the artisans in the Kashmir valley are still forced to take part in exhibitions. After the online platform, the artisans can upload their products there. The online service will also save customers precious time. They can choose and shop from any part of the country.
It is to be noted here that in July last month, the Jammu and Kashmir administration, in its endeavor to promote manufacturing and exports, said the government is vigorously working on specific interventions like enhanced marketing, technological innovations, and latest designs to push “One District One Product” under the PM Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme.
The Joint Director of Handloom and Handicrafts confirmed the MoU of JKPTO with Flipkart and said this platform will help the local artisans sell their products online. Also, people won’t come physically to buy products from artisans.
On being asked that earlier in 2020 a MoU was also signed in this regard, the officer said that the same was signed by the sales and export Corporation.
