To improve livelihood opportunities for local people living on peripheries of Nowshera Forest Division, a one day grooming session on making of handicrafts with chir needles and their value addition was held at Sunderbani. The session was attended by chairpersons and women members of all 15 SHGs associated with Chir handicrafts. The grooming session was started by Divisional Forest Officer, Nowshera Satyendra Maurya by shedding light on use of chir needles for making handicrafts and creating livelihood opportunities for women and girls in addition to their routine work.
Expert from GIRI Foundation Komal Koul informed the participants about various inputs for improving the quality of chir handicraft products. Using good quality material with precision and with good marketing skills, the scope for this emerging handicraft industry can be expanded all over India, she said. At present GIRI foundation is working on marketing of chir needle handicrafts in Jammu.
The participants lauded the efforts of Nowshera Forest Division for holding such a series of livelihood improvement programmes for people living on the periphery of Nowshera Forest Division. They called for extending such training programmes to other remote areas of Reasi and Rajouri districts so that more women and girls may take benefit of such self employment generation activities in addition to their daily routine works.
Range Officer Sunderbani, Sudesh Kumar made all arrangements for smooth conduct of the one day grooming session. The programme was conducted under guidance of Conservator of Forests, West circle Rajouri Vivek Verma.
