Srinagar, Sep 2: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has constituted a committee to undertake a comprehensive review of the existing wage structure for artisans and weavers and recommend changes to the minimum wage framework governing the handicrafts and handloom sector.

The committee was constituted under Government Order No. 1459-JK(GAD) of 2026, issued by the General Administration Department on September 1.
The Administrative Secretary of the Industries and Commerce Department will head the panel, which includes the Labour Commissioner, Directors of Handicrafts and Handloom of Kashmir and Jammu, Managing Director of the J&K Handicrafts and Handloom Development Corporation, officials from the Industries and Commerce and Labour and Employment departments, representatives of recognised artisan and weaver communities, and members of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry with expertise in handicrafts and handlooms.
The chairperson may also co-opt additional members and technical experts wherever required.
The committee has been given three months to submit its recommendations, with the mandate of creating a fair, equitable and sustainable minimum wage structure that recognises the specialised skills, craftsmanship, cultural heritage and historical importance of the sector.
As part of its terms of reference, the panel will review S.O. 513 of 2022 and assess whether revisions are required. It will examine prevailing wage patterns and disparities among different categories of artisans and weavers.
The committee will also assess the socio-economic conditions of workers and study how market fluctuations, rising raw-material costs and changing demand affect their earnings.
A key task will be to identify notified handicraft and handloom crafts that are currently outside the statutory minimum-wage framework and recommend their appropriate classification and wage rates.
The panel will consult artisans, weavers, cooperatives, trade unions, exporters and other stakeholders besides undertaking field visits to major artisan clusters to gather first-hand information on wage-related concerns.
It will also benchmark J&K’s wage structure against those prevailing in major handicraft and handloom clusters across the country.
The exercise is aimed at strengthening wage protection for artisans and weavers while ensuring that the minimum-wage framework reflects the realities of a sector central to J&K’s cultural identity, traditional craftsmanship and rural livelihoods.