SRINAGAR: In a significant boost to the revival of Kashmir’s indigenous Namda craft, the Department of Handicrafts and Handloom, Kashmir, has awarded a contract for the Supply, Installation, Testing and Commissioning (SITC) of card cloth for a wool carding machine through the Mechanical and Hospitals Engineering Department.
The commissioned wool carding machine has an annual processing capacity of nearly 29,000 kilograms of wool, which is expected to considerably strengthen the local value chain linked to the traditional Namda craft. The establishment of this in-house facility will substantially reduce reliance on outsourced wool carding, thereby lowering production costs and directly benefiting Namda artisans across the Valley.
In a press statement issued by the department, Deputy Director UNDP, Mirza Shahid Ali, said that Jammu and Kashmir is the second-largest producer of wool fibre in India and ranks first in Merino wool production. Despite this advantage, he noted, a significant portion of raw wool has traditionally been sent outside the Union Territory for carding, leading to increased costs and delays.
“This initiative is cost-effective, efficient and less labour-intensive, and will play a crucial role in strengthening sustainable livelihoods, enhancing productivity and preserving Kashmir’s rich handicraft heritage—particularly the Namda craft, which is currently in revival mode,” he said.
The department reaffirmed its commitment to providing modern infrastructure and technical support to traditional crafts to ensure their revival, sustainability and global competitiveness, while safeguarding the livelihoods of artisans.
