New Delhi, Mar 12 (KNN) The Handicraft and Handloom Department J&K in association with the Carpet Export Promotion Council (CEPC) held a seminar in the national capital today.

The main objective of this event was to make people aware about Geographical Indications (GI) Tagged Carpets and provide them on the spot demonstration of GI labeling on Carpets.

The stakeholders appreciated this initiative of the government which is expected to increase the demand of genuine Kashmiri Carpets throughout the world as there will be no scope of cheating or any fraud to the customer. 

Principal Secretary, Industries and Commerce (I&C), Ranjan Prakash Thakur, flagged-off the first ever shipment of GI certified Kashmiri Hand knotted silk Carpets to Europe from New Delhi yesterday.

The Indian Institute of Carpet Technology (IICT), Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, introduced QR Code based mechanism, first of its kind in the world, for certification of Hand knotted Carpets manufactured in the UT.

By virtue of this mechanism, the buyer can check and verify requisite details of a carpet, in respect of its genuineness and authenticity with other related parameters, in real time, with the help of smartphone before purchasing the same.

The QR code along with registered GI Logo printed on secured fusion label, possessing requisite covert and overt information, is fixed on the carpet after conducting necessary physical inspection/testing of different parameters. 

This is a special label which cannot be copied or misused. 

Recently, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, formally launched the QR Code mechanism for certification of Kashmiri Carpets and there was an overwhelming appreciation from all the stakeholders for such an innovative method of certification of Carpets. 

Since then, the stakeholders in large numbers are approaching the Institute to get their carpets certified/tagged. 

This historic initiative is expected to go a long way in authorizing the overall quality of Hand knotted Carpets which in turn, certainly, will boost the exports of carpet Industry in the International market. (KNN Bureau)