Excelsior Correspondent
LEH, June 14: Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh in an effort to make Pashmina and Handloom sectors more comprehensive and profitable in Leh held a meeting with Union Secretary, Ministry of Textiles Zohra Chatterji and top level officers of Central Wool Development Board (CWDB) Union Ministry of Textiles at Grand Dragon Hotel, here today.
Deliberating in detail about the immense potential of Pashmina in Ladakh, Chief Executive Councillor (CEC), Rigzin Spalbar said that Pashmina Wool Development Schemes under IWIDP of Central Wool Development Board (CWDB) has proved very beneficial for Leh as this scheme in a very short period, through its assistance has encouraged the migrated nomads of Changthang to go back to their homeland.
He said that we could not have controlled the mortality rate of Sheep and goats during heavy snowfall in the month of January and February 2013 if fodder supplements were not distributed timely to the nomads under CWDB scheme. Advocating various promotional and developmental schemes under CWDB, CEC requested Zohra Chatterji to provide more assistance in variety of ways focusing value addition of pashmina products which will not only boost the economy of Changthang area, but entire economy of Ladakh.
The meeting after a detailed powerpoint presentation by DSHO Dr. Mohd Sharif about snow crisis in Changthang last year and progress report of Pashmina Wool Development Schemes for the year 2013-14 also had discussion on proposed and modified components under the scheme.
Assuring her level best efforts in sanctioning of newly proposed schemes and additional funds required for the projects, Zohra Chatterji directed Sheep Husbandry Department to prepare the revised proposal and estimates of CWDB scheme with proposal of additional budget by incorporating components like testing labs, Common Facility Centres (CFC) for spinning of Pashmina and promotion of small spinning machines to the nomads, additional Dehiring plant considering production of 45 thousand tons of pashmina out of which only five thousand tons have been presently dehiring in Leh.
She said that Union Ministry of Textiles would consider for setting up of Italian Dehiring Plant at Leh for which additional Rs. 3 crore is required. She also directed Handloom Department to prepare project for handloom development in Leh both for training as well as for common facility centres for design inputs etc.
Among others, the meeting was also attended by Executive Councillor Handloom LAHDC, Leh Gurmet Dorje, Additional Development Commissioner Handloom Union Ministry of Textile M.C Gupta, Director Handloom J&K Tsering Angchok, Councilor Kungyam Dorjey Mutup and doctors of Sheep Husbandry Department.
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