New Delhi: The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) of India has roped in four Khadi institutions from Varanasi and Ghazipur districts of Uttar Pradesh for processing raw Pashmina wool and weaving it further into woolen fabric, an official spokesperson said in a statement.
“The globally acclaimed Pashmina wool products, which are indigenous to the high altitude regions of Leh-Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir, will now be made in Varanasi also,” the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, (MSME) India said.
Pashmina weaving in Varanasi will commence from January next year and 20 Khadi artisans will be given 30-day training in weaving, the statement said, adding, about 200 kg of Pashmina wool processed in Delhi will be supplied to artisans in Leh by the first week of December.
These artisans from Leh will spin the wool by December-end that will be brought to Varanasi for weaving.
The MSME ministry said that the processed Pashmina wool would be supplied back to the artisans in Leh-Ladakh.
About 50-tonne raw Pashmina is produced in Leh-Ladakh per annum out of which, after cleaning and processing, only 15-tonne dehaired wool is actually produced for the production of Pashmina wool products. Out of this 15 tonne, a meager 500 kg only is utilized in Leh-Ladakh by a few small units for manufacturing.
The Chairperson of the Khadi and Village Industries Commissio Vinai Kumar Saxena said, “This move will not only ensure utilisation of entire quality of de-haired Pashmina wool of Ladakh but will also open new job opportunities for local artisans and availability of genuine and affordable Pashmina wool products in Varanasi. KVIC will provide online marketing support also to these khadi institutions.”
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