The Government of India has listed the ‘Kashmir Willow Cricket Bat’ as part of the handicraft industry.
- It will help Kashmir Valley’s artisans to avail different government schemes.
Craft categories
- The Union Ministry of Textiles issued a revised list of craft categories for the purpose of issuance/ renewal of Pehchan ID cards.
- The craft categories were classified into 9 main categories and 36 sub categories, covering a total of 455 crafts, practising across the country.
- The Pehchan scheme, launched in 2016, aimed at providing a new identity to handicraft artisans, ensuring that the benefits of various schemes reach deserving craftsmen.
The willow bat industry
- The willow bat makers of the Kashmir valley have long been advocating for the designation of the Kashmiri willow cricket bats as ‘handicraft’.
- The designated handcraft artisans are benefited from the schemes like National Handicraft Development Programme (NHDP) and Comprehensive Handicrafts Cluster Development Scheme (CHCDS).
- The century old Kashmiri willow bat industry provides livelihood to more than 10,000 people across the region.
- The Kashmiri willow bat industry is facing challenges on a host of counts including smuggling of wood clefts from outside Kashmir, lack of seasoning facility and dwindling number of willows trees.
- To preserve the indigenous bat industry, the bat makers are advocating for the GI ( Geographical Indication) tagging.
