Leh, June 17: Chief Secretary of the Union Territory of Ladakh, Ashish Kundra, on Wednesday chaired a comprehensive review meeting with Pashmina artisans, weavers, entrepreneurs, cooperative members and representatives of artisan organizations from Leh, Kargil, Zanskar and other Pashmina-producing regions, focusing on the future growth and sustainability of Ladakh’s prized Pashmina sector.
The meeting brought together stakeholders from across the value chain, including artisan groups, cooperative societies, self-help groups and entrepreneur-led ventures, who shared their experiences, production capacities, challenges and suggestions for strengthening the industry.
During the interaction, artisans highlighted several issues affecting production and productivity, including the labour-intensive warping process, limited access to modern machinery, outdated looms, and the need for advanced technical training and capacity-building programmes.
Participants also stressed the importance of increasing awareness among the Changpa community, the primary producers of raw Pashmina, while advocating for stronger support mechanisms across the production and marketing chain.
Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra held detailed discussions with stakeholders on their training backgrounds, annual production volumes, pricing structures, market linkages, sales patterns and inventory management. He also reviewed the functioning of existing training centres and evaluated the effectiveness of current skill-development initiatives.
Emphasizing the need for systematic skill enhancement, Kundra underscored the importance of strengthening technical expertise within the weaving community. He reviewed the status of weaving instructors in the Handloom Department and stressed that improved skills and modern techniques are essential for enhancing productivity, quality and competitiveness.
Observing that a significant number of artisans continue to work independently, the Chief Secretary advocated a cooperative-based development model to facilitate collective growth and improve market access.
He proposed the establishment of Common Facility Centres (CFCs) and cluster-based cooperative models in major weaving hubs such as Phyang and other artisan-dominated areas. These centres, he said, would provide shared access to machinery, processing facilities, design support, quality control systems and marketing platforms.
Kundra noted that critical activities including weaving, finishing, pressing, product design, skill development and quality assurance could be carried out more efficiently through shared infrastructure. Such cooperative-led clusters, he added, would help artisans reduce costs, improve standardization, strengthen branding and increase their bargaining power in national and international markets.
To accelerate sectoral growth, the Chief Secretary proposed the development of three strategically located cluster-based Common Facility Centres across Ladakh. These hubs would serve as centres for production, training, innovation, value addition and women-led artisan empowerment initiatives.
Highlighting the cultural and economic significance of Pashmina, Kundra said that cooperative-driven development and cluster-based growth models are vital for preserving Ladakh’s traditional weaving heritage while making the sector more competitive and economically sustainable.
He urged all stakeholders to work collectively towards building a robust ecosystem that supports artisans, promotes high-quality production and further strengthens the global reputation of Ladakhi Pashmina.
The meeting was attended by Shri Moses Kunzang, Consultant functioning as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) for Special Projects, the Additional Secretary, Cooperative Department, the Deputy Registrar Cooperative Societies, Leh, representatives of various Pashmina brands, self-help groups, artisan organizations and officials from the Handloom Department.
