Srinagar, 7 October 2026: A Workshop on E-commerce Onboarding for artisans was successfully conducted today at Kashmir Government Polytechnic College, Srinagar, organised jointly by Conserve India, the Jammu and Kashmir Khadi and Village Industries Board (J&K KVIB) and Udyamwell, ONDC. The workshop was held under Our current initiative, Project Artisan 2.0 – “Digital Pathways for Inclusive Economic Empowerment”, is supported by the MetLife Foundation through CAF America. The project works across the six districts of the Kashmir Division (Srinagar, Ganderbal, Budgam, Baramulla, Bandipora and Kupwara) to strengthen digital and market linkages for artisan communities practising crafts such as Sozni, Pashmina, Kani weave, Namda, Crewel, Papier-mâché and Willow Wicker. The project is carried out in partnership with the Jammu & Kashmir Khadi and Village Industries Board (JKKVIB), the Directorate of Handicrafts and Handloom Kashmir, the Craft Development Institute (CDI) and the Office of the District Development, Commissioner, Kupwara.
Shri Vikramjit Singh, IPS, Commissioner Secretary, Industries and Commerce Department, Government of Jammu and Kashmir, graced the occasion as Chief Guest, while Shri Manzoor Ahmad Lone, Secretary/CEO, J&K KVIB, attended as Guest of Honour. Shri Rashid, Deputy Secretary, J&K KVIB, was also present, along with Mr. Nitesh and Ms. Sharmishta from Udyamwell, ONDC. The Walmart Vriddhi Programme team, implemented by Ideas to Impact Foundation, joined the workshop online.
Around 100 artisans from 10 districts participated in the workshop, representing crafts such as Namda, Crewel, Papier-mâché, Willow Wicker, Sozni, Pashmina, Kani weave and Waggu. The sessions focused on helping artisans move from their homes and workshops to the digital marketplace. The Udyamwell team explained the value of formal registration and guided artisans through onboarding on the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC). The Walmart Vriddhi team conducted an online session on e-commerce readiness, covering pricing, packaging and order handling, and initiated the onboarding process for participating artisans under the programme.
Welcoming the dignitaries, Ms. Ekta Sati, Project Manager, Project Artisan 2.0, Conserve India, said the project aims to ensure that the skill of the Kashmiri karigar reaches the markets it deserves, with dignity, fair value and recognition. She sought the Department’s continued support in mobilising more artisan groups across Kashmir.
Speaking on the occasion, Commissioner Secretary, Industries and Commerce Department, Shri Vikramjit Singh, welcomed the initiative and appreciated the efforts of the Secretary/CEO and officers of J&K KVIB in organising the workshop. He also applauded the efforts of Conserve India and Udyamwell in connecting artisans with digital markets and assured them of his full support. He stressed the need to bridge the gap between social media presence and actual delivery to consumers, and urged artisans to ensure quality, authenticity, QR-based product identification and ONDC registration in order to access wider markets. He underlined that strict quality control is key to earning buyer trust and protecting the reputation of Kashmiri crafts.
Addressing the artisans and stakeholders, Shri Manzoor Ahmad Lone, Secretary/CEO, J&K KVIB, highlighted the Board’s support to artisans and entrepreneurs through PMEGP, JKREGP and SFURTI. He stated that during the last five years, 6,346 handicraft units have received financial assistance of ₹141.2 crore, involving bank credit of ₹424 crore and generating employment for 50,768 persons. Under SFURTI, J&K KVIB has four clusters at Anantnag, Budgam, Pampore and Pattan, covering 1,905 artisans. He further stated that the workshop is a step towards transforming the way artisans access markets, and that the handholding and capacity building provided through such initiatives are extremely important for ensuring meaningful last-mile connectivity for artisans.
The workshop concluded with a vote of thanks by Ms. Ekta Sati, who expressed gratitude to the dignitaries, partner organisations, Kashmir Government Polytechnic College and the participating artisans, and reaffirmed Conserve India’s commitment to supporting artisans at every step of their journey into online markets.
About Conserve India
Conserve India is a New Delhi-based not-for-profit organisation with three decades of experience in artisan livelihoods, skill development and textile circularity. Through Project Artisan 2.0, it works with artisan communities across Srinagar, Ganderbal, Budgam, Baramulla, Bandipora and Kupwara
