The Handicrafts & Handloom sector has a unique place in the socio-economic structure of J&K. It plays a vital role in providing employment, cloth production and value addition while at the same time preserves our rich cultural heritage. The sector provides direct and indirect employment to Artisans, Weavers and Ancillary workers in the State, mostly belonging to SC/ST, backward and economically weaker sections of the society are concentrated in rural and far flung areas, it has tremendous potential in checking urbanization as well as generating employment for women population.

Because of uniqueness and exclusivity of designs, capability to produce small batch sizes and being eco-friendly, handicrafts & handloom products are in high demand in both international as well as in the domestic markets. The sector is low energy consuming and has little adverse impact on environment. However the sector faces problem of absence of systematic production lines to match demand and supply. The Handicrafts & Handloom Department Jammu is working sustainably to bridge the gap through infrastructure development, skill up gradation, design and product development, so that not only the Artisans & Weavers get better remuneration for their products but better marketing facilities too.

The Handicrafts & Handloom Department has been following the policy of promotion and encouragement of this sector through consistent hand holding in the form of welfare and promotional schemes like publicity and exhibition, reimbursement of 10 percent rebate, skill development through training programmes, Artisan/Weaver Credit card/ credit plan schemes, by organizing the weavers in the cluster form etc.