By Ajaz Rashid
The recent release of ₹33.34 lakh for the Karkhandar Scheme in Kashmir Division is more than a budgetary note—it is a statement of intent. In a region where artistry is woven into the social fabric, this initiative by the Handicrafts and Handloom Department represents both cultural preservation and economic necessity.
The Karkhandar Scheme, launched in 2021, is not merely about funding; it is about breathing life into crafts that have survived centuries yet now teeter on the edge of extinction. From the intricate walnut wood carving to the painstaking silver filigree, from the ornate papier-mâché to the timeless Kani shawl, these are not just products—they are repositories of history, skill, and identity. The fact that many of these art forms now face a shortage of skilled practitioners is alarming. Without intervention, we risk losing them to the flood of mass-produced, machine-made imitations.
The scheme’s design is practical as well as visionary. It connects master craftsmen—many of them recipients of national and state honours—with a younger generation that has grown up amidst declining demand and shrinking market spaces. By offering advanced training to meritorious trainees from departmental centres and placing them directly in working karkhanas, the scheme ensures that skills are not merely taught in classrooms but honed in real workshops.
The stipend structure—₹2,000 per month for trainees, ₹25,000 for karkhandars in two installments for tools and raw materials, and an additional ₹2,000 per trainee to support logistics—may seem modest in absolute terms. But for many artisans in rural districts like Anantnag, Budgam, Baramulla, Kulgam, and even Srinagar’s old city, this support can be the bridge between abandoning the craft and making it a viable livelihood.
However, while the release of ₹33.34 lakh is a welcome step, the larger question is sustainability. Reviving crafts is not a one-time grant exercise—it requires continuous market linkages, protection against counterfeit goods, and branding that appeals to both domestic and international buyers. Without these, training will create skilled artisans who may still find no buyers for their work.
The government’s commitment is clear in its funding. Now, it must ensure the scheme is not confined to files and ceremonies but becomes a living network of workshops, training centres, and sales platforms. For Kashmir’s crafts, this is not merely about economics—it is about safeguarding a cultural legacy that has defined the Valley for generations. The Karkhandar Scheme, if sustained and scaled, could well be the thread that ties heritage to the future.