Seven must have Handicrafts from Kashmir

Not only is Kashmir one of the most picturesque corners of India but also home to many handicrafts which speak volumes about the artistic expertise of the Kashmiri people Uttara Gangopadhyay Do not miss browsing through the handicrafts of Kashmir when you visit the region as travelling in the post pandemic world picks up. These will not only enhance your wardrobe or beautify your house but also make excellent souvenirs and gifts. Also, your support will help local artisans pursue the traditional crafts and not succumb to uneven competition from…

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Kashmir incurred Rs 45000 Cr loss due to successive lockdowns: Kashmir Trade Alliance

Successive lockdowns in the past one year have dented Kashmir’s economy by over Rs 45,000 crore as per the report released by a Valley-based traders’ body. Business establishments remained shut for months after the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5 last year and just when economic activities started picking up early this year, the lockdown due to Covid-19 pandemic wrecked the businesses. “Since August 5, 2019, the business community has suffered a total loss of Rs 45,000 crore. A loss of Rs 21,320.64 crore was incurred as a result…

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High-level committee constituted for revival of business sector in J&K

Government has constituted a high level committee for ‘relief and revival of business sector’ in Jammu and Kashmir. The committee has been asked to submit a ‘consolidated proposal’ by 1st September 2020. A day earlier, a delegation of Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) had called on Lt Governor Manoj Sinha seeking “constitution of a committee for the revival of the businesses in J&K”. The committee constituted shall comprise of Advisor KK Sharma, Financial Commissioner, Finance Department, Commissioner/Secretary, Industries and Commerce Department, Commissioner Secretary, Tourism Department, and Chairman, Managing…

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Indefinite lock-down of business establishments in Kashmir a serious infringement on the rights of the business community to earn a livelihood: KCCI

A spokesperson of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry today termed the indefinite lockdown of business establishments in Kashmir especially Srinagar as a serious infringement on the rights of the business community to earn a livelihood. Despite full cooperation extended by the general public and the business community, the administration appeared to be running around in circles since the previous five months and seem oblivious to the fact that the business community of Kashmir is presently in the 13th month of a disruption which has wiped out enterprises and…

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Internet Shutdowns, Pandemic have cost Kashmir Rs 40000 Cr and more than 5 Lakh jobs: Sheikh Ashiq President KCCI

Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Sheikh Ashiq Ahmad said the 2G internet currently available in the region is not enough for many businesses. Sheikh Ashiq Ahmad, president of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry, has claimed that the internet restrictions imposed in the region since 5 August last year, and then the Covid-induced lockdown, have caused an economic loss of Rs 40,000 crore in the Valley alone, and that more than five lakh people across sectors are now jobless. Ahmad told ThePrint the industries hit the hardest…

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J&K to welcome tourists, but only Pre-booked, Air passengers allowed

Days after opening parks and gardens to the public, the Jammu and Kashmir administration on Sunday decided to open the tourism sector in a phased manner with effect from Tuesday but limiting it to tourists arriving by air only. However, it advised the tourists above the age of 65 years to avoid coming to the union territory and also announced compulsory RT-PCR testing of all tourists at the airport on arrival. Announcing the decision and the guidelines for entry of tourists in the UT in phase-1 valid with effect from…

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Tourism Sector all set to reopen in J&K dates to be announced soon: Govt

The tourism sector in Jammu and Kashmir is all set to re-open, and the government is in the process of finalising and announcing a date soon. The government has started preparing the blueprint that would be made public soon to revive the critical service sector in J&K. The hospitality sector sustains the livelihoods of tens of thousands of J&K residents. Several families have been connected to the hospitality industry for generations. “This sector, seen along with Handloom, handicrafts and horticulture sectors forms the core of the J&K economy, as all…

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Harsh guidelines deliver final blow to Kashmir’s iconic houseboat industry

The Department of Tourism’s document outlines norms and guidelines for registration, renewal, and operation of houseboats in Kashmir’s famous Dal and Nageen lakes. Already reeling under the aftermath of over three decades of political unrest, loss of tourism and the ongoing lockdown, Kashmir’s iconic houseboat industry seems to have been delivered a final blow. In what is being seen as lip service to inclusive policy-making, the Department of Tourism has chosen the lockdown period to release a draft Houseboat Policy which has now been put in the public domain for…

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Online bidding for mineral blocks leaves locals at a backfoot, while non-locals walked away with lions share

For the first time ever, non-local companies have bagged a majority of contracts for the extraction of minerals from the water bodies of Kashmir. With the bidding process being held online, many local businessmen were left at a disadvantage as high-speed Internet connectivity remains restricted in Kashmir after the Centre read down Article 370 on August 5, 2019. More than 200 mineral blocks in Jhelum and its tributaries across all 10 districts of the Valley were opened for mining of sand, boulders, gravel and other river bed material in December…

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Cherry trade badly hit due to lockdown in Kashmir

While restriction to contain Covid-19 pandemic continues and all spheres of life are badly hit, people associated with the fruit industry are the worst sufferers as their ripe cherry crop has rotten in orchards due to the non-availability of transport. Lockdown restrictions amid pandemic crises killed our business and crop. June is the peak season for the valley growers to pluck cherry and send it to the different markets across the Indian plains and other parts of the world. But given the lockdown, desirous transport is not available and our…

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