Kashmiri artisans protest for enhanced credit facility

Kashmir Handicraft Workers and Artisans Union today held a protest rally here to press for redressal of their demands including enhancing the credit facility under the artisan credit card scheme.
The artisans assembled at the Residency Road here to demand the government fulfil its "promises" made to the community and address their grievances at the earliest.
The Union president Nisar Ahmad, addressing the rally, highlighted the plight of the handicraft workers and artisans whose units suffered heavily by the last years devastating floods.
In the rehabilitation programme, while some sections have received financial aid to restart their business units, the poor handicraft workers and artisans have been conveniently ignored, he said.

"The interest subsidy on the loans advanced to this poor working class has also not been released till date. In addition, the government also did not fulfil its commitment to raise the amount of loan advanced under artisans credit card scheme from Rs 90,000 to Rs 1.5 lakh," he alleged.
He impressed upon the government to fulfil its commitment and come out with a comprehensive relief package for the handicraft workers and artisans of Kashmir.

"Needless to say that lakhs of families in Kashmir valley especially in Srinagar city depend on handicraft industry. Moreover, the Kashmiri handicraft are a symbol of Kashmir's identity and culture," he added.

Nisar hoped that Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed will consider the demands sympathetically and set apart some considerable amount from the Prime Minister's package for rehabilitation of this worst-hit sector.
While addressing a delegation of KCCI in September this year, the CM had said that his the government will make all-out efforts to promote the interests of artisans, who possess the rare skill of creating globally-acclaimed products.
"To make the activity economically viable for them, we will bring nearly 3.5 lakh artisans under the ambit of Artisan Credit Card Scheme, on the pattern of Kisan Credit Card that has seen farmers access soft loans worth Rs 200 crore," he had said.

Meanwhile, Medical Employees Association also staged a protest demonstration here to press for release of their salaries.
The protesters dispersed off peacefully.