Pashmina, Artisan Livelihoods Take Centre Stage at Ladakh Entrepreneurs’ Meet | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: Concerns over the future of Ladakh’s famed Pashmina industry and the livelihoods of nomadic communities dominated discussions during an interactive session chaired by Chief Secretary of the Union Territory of Ladakh, Ashish Kundra, with entrepreneurs from across the region on Tuesday.

The meeting, held as part of the Administration’s ongoing efforts to strengthen Ladakh’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, saw entrepreneurs from sectors including textiles and handicrafts, local product development, AI-driven initiatives, waste management, film and media, consultancy services, education, and NGOs sharing challenges and suggestions for sectoral growth.

Participants from the textile and handicraft sector particularly highlighted the need for stronger support mechanisms for Pashmina producers, artisans, and nomadic communities engaged in traditional wool production. They stressed that despite skill development programmes, many trained artisans eventually leave the sector due to weak market linkages, inadequate income opportunities, and a lack of sustained institutional support.

The entrepreneurs emphasised the importance of preserving indigenous crafts and creating awareness among youth about the cultural and economic significance of Pashmina production in Ladakh. Discussions also focused on the need for value addition facilities, better infrastructure, branding support, and improved rural livelihood opportunities.

Describing the interaction as constructive, Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra said the Administration was committed to developing structured dialogue platforms to better understand sector-specific concerns and formulate targeted interventions.

He informed the participants that Ladakh’s dedicated Startup Policy is expected to be finalised in the coming weeks. According to him, the proposed policy would focus on incubation support, seed funding, co-working spaces, innovation support, capital subsidies, and institutional partnerships with premier institutes, including the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta.

Kundra also stressed the importance of establishing common facility centres and collaborative workspaces for sectors such as handicrafts, textiles, filmmaking, AI, design, and renewable energy innovation. He called for the formation of producer groups and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) along with market-driven strategies for products, including Pashmina, apricot-based goods, mushrooms, and other local value-added products.

The Chief Secretary further said that awareness camps and district-level outreach programmes would be conducted to educate entrepreneurs and youth about startup schemes, bank loan provisions, government funding opportunities, and institutional support mechanisms.

He also emphasised the need for digital platforms and online sales portals to improve visibility and market access for Ladakh’s local products and entrepreneurs.

The meeting was attended by Secretary School Education Ms Bhanu Prabha, Secretary Youth Services & Sports Shri Moses Kunzang, Consultant to the Administration functioning as OSD (Special Projects), and entrepreneurs and representatives from various sectors across Ladakh.

Separately, the Chief Secretary also chaired a high-level review meeting on the rising drug abuse situation in Ladakh, where officials discussed rehabilitation, awareness campaigns, treatment facilities, and enforcement measures.

During the meeting, Consultant Psychiatrist Ms Padma Angmo informed that 101 new opioid-related cases were reported during the past year, while 237 follow-up cases are currently under treatment. Concerns were also raised regarding increasing substance abuse cases among women and the stigma associated with seeking treatment.

Kundra directed the concerned departments to prepare a comprehensive integrated action plan within a week, strengthen enforcement against drug peddlers, expand rehabilitation infrastructure, and intensify awareness programmes in schools, colleges, and communities across Ladakh.