The Indian Institute of Carpet Technology (IICT), Srinagar has been established by Ministry of Textiles, Govt. of India and Industries and Commerce Department, Govt. of Jammu and Kashmir with the objective to provide necessary technical support to Carpet Industry of Jammu & Kashmir.
The affairs of the Institute are managed by an Executive Committee headed by Administrative Secretary to Government, Industries & Commerce Department, Govt. of Jammu and Kashmir as its Chairperson. The progress of the Institute is being reviewed through meetings of the Executive Committee, (Governing Body/Highest Decision-making body of the Institute).So far as the activities of the Institute are concerned, most of them revolve around four major portfolios namely, Human Resource Development, Design Development through CAD, Research & Development (R&D) and Technical Services and Facilities.
The activities of the Institute revolve around below mentioned portfolios:
Human Resource Development
Skill Development Training Program (SDTP)
Skill Up-gradation and Capacity Building Training
The Institute has conducted short term Skill Up-gradation and Capacity Building training in different craft concentrated areas.
Design Development through CAD
Setting up of Design Studio
The Institute played a pivotal role in the introduction of Design Software for creation of carpet designs which has eased design work enormously as it used to take months together for a group of persons to make carpet design of standard size manually and transfer it to coded design scripts known as taleem in the local language.
Design Studio equipped with latest digital equipments, including few reputed Design Softwares, has been established in the Institute.
As many as 2000 carpet and 440 kani shawl designs have been developed in the digital format till date.
The above digital designs have been provided to the concerned stakeholders on nominal charges generating revenue to the tune of Rs. 48.50 lakhs till date.
Creation of a Design Bank
In order to preserve old/traditional carpet designs, which are available in the form of manually written taleem papers (coded design scripts), the Institute has created a Design Bank in the digital format for the carpet craft.
With the application of existing Design Software, the digitization of Taleem papers of more than 551 old/ traditional carpet designs, has been completed till date.
The digitization for preservation of handwritten taleem of such old carpet designs is in progress at the Institute.
Research & Development (R&D)
Study on utilization of locally available Reeled Mulberry Silk for carpets
After thorough analysis/research with regard to quality parameters of locally available Reeled Mulberry Silk yarn for carpets, two silk carpets (Medium/Large) were developed and the same were displayed during a couple of Buyer Seller Meets/Exhibitions. The quality of these silk carpets was found at par with the quality of Iranian carpets.
While appreciating this initiative, the stakeholders expressed the hope that such step will go a long way in boosting not only the carpet industry but also the silk industry of J&K. However, the industry is reluctant to use this quality of reeled silk yarn for carpets due to its higher cost.
Therefore, detailed study is required to be conducted by the concerned Departments/Central Silk Board/CSR&TI for bringing down the cost of reeled silk yarn for making it viable to be used for carpets.
Registration of Handknotted Carpet under GI Act
In order to provide legal protection and safeguard against use of registered Geographical Indication by others, the Institute, after putting in extensive hard work for more than 06 years, finally succeeded in registering Kashmiri Hand Knotted Carpet under Geographical Indication of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act 1999”.
Meeras Carpet Weaver's Industrial Cooperative Limited, Srinagar has been designated as the registered proprietor of this G.I, as per the requirement of the Act. For registration of as Authorized Users, who can use G.I labels, all the concerned stake holders shall have to route their applications through Meeras for onwards submission to G.I Registry, Chennai.
Development of new Modified Steel Carpet Loom
In order to improve the working conditions of carpet artisans, who are still working on very old and health hazardous wooden looms, the Institute, in collaboration with J&K SICOP, developed a new Modified Steel Carpet Loom with inbuilt seating arrangement.
Number of prototypes were developed and on the basis of necessary testing and trial runs conducted by Institute, followed by thorough inspection by Technical Team including stakeholders, one prototype of loom was found suitable for introduction in the carpet Industry.
As a matter of fact, 10 such looms have been introduced in 02 Micro Carpet Clusters/ Carpet Production Centres which have been established under a centrally sponsored scheme of NBCFDC. As per the reports, the working of these looms has been found upto the mark and the concerned carpet artisans are quite satisfied with these looms.
There is a dire need to introduce such Modified Carpet Looms in the Industry which is possible only under a sponsored scheme so that the loom is provided absolutely free of cost to the carpet artisan/weaver who otherwise cannot afford to purchase it.
Technical Services and Facilities
GI Tagging of Handknotted Carpets
Other Initiatives
Infrastructural Support to target groups
National Backward Classes Finance & Development Corporation (NBCFDC), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Govt. of India, under its Technology Up-gradation of Cluster Scheme, has provided requisite infrastructural and handholding support to concerned beneficiaries falling Backward Class/Economically Backward Class Categories so that they can work independently for earning their livelihood from the activity of carpet weaving.