JK Govt vows to restore Pristine glory of Silk Industry

Srinagar, June 07 (Scoop News) –Re-affirming that all the available resources will be pooled to restore the pristine glory of State’s world famous Silk Factory,  JK Minister,Surjit Singh Slathia today said that a budgetary support of Rs. 75 Cr has been earmarked for the current fiscal to revive sick public sector undertakings (PSUs), which includes Rs. 26 Cr to settle claims under Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) and Golden Handshake (GHS) Schemes.

            Addressing a gathering of employees and workers of Government Silk Factory, Rajbagh, Srinagar today,  Slathia said intricate craftsmanship of the State is unparalled which would be preserved and promoted at all costs. He said Kashmiri Silk fibre is known throughout the globe for its lusture, purity and fineness adding that a State of art silk Show Room is being constructed at Rajbagh, at a cost of Rs. 85 lacs to provide plateform for Silk weavers and traders to showcase and sell silken products to the tourists visiting the State. The Showroom, which will be a blend of traditional cum modern architecture, is expected to be commissioned by the chief Minister,  Omar Abdullah by ending this month,  Slathia added. He called for strict enforcement of quality control measures to check sale of spurious silk and other Handicraft products.

             Slathia while appreciating the management of the Jammu & Kashmir Industries Limited (JKI) for bringing improvements both in production and revenue generation levels, asked the workers to continue their efforts with further devotion and dedication, so that the Corporation to improve its profitability graph on sustained basis. He said profitability of the Corporation was key for extending benefits of the 6th Pay Commission to its employees and workers. He asked the workers to work unitedly with utmost discipline to protect the JKI from losses adding that “Silk Factory was their own property and they shall have to safe-guard it for their own benefit”. He assured the workers and employees of the Corporation that their service interests would be safe-guarded optimally.

            Referring to the tangible improvement in the performance of the JKI,  Slathia said, it was heartening to note that the Corporation has completed targets viz-a-viz production of fibre and revenue generation that depicts that workers have firmed up their mind to restore the past glory of Silk Industry in the State.

            The Minister also inspected the upcoming Silk Show Room and instructed the architect to complete the complex by 15th of the current month. About Rs. 80 lac have already been incurred on it so far.

            The Managing Director JKI,  Javed Iqbal accompanied the Minister during his inspection to the Silk Show Room. He apprised the Minister that as against the production of 6000 Mtrs. of Silk in 2010-11, the factory has produced 45,000 Mtrs. of Silk in 2011-12 and adding that after the implementation/upgradation proposal, the Factory is poised to produce more than 1.50 lac Mtrs. during the current financial year.