New Delhi, Aug 12: Jammu and Kashmir Government on Wednesday launched “JK Karigari”, an official marketplace for authentic products from the Union Territory, at the Bharatiya Vyapar Mahotsav in New Delhi.

An initiative of the Housing and Urban Development Department under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM), the platform aims to connect J&K’s traditional artisans and urban women Self Help Groups (SHGs) with national and global buyers.
JK Karigari will showcase authentic Kashmiri products, including Pashmina, Kani and Sozni shawls, papier-mache, walnut wood carving, carpets, crewel embroidery and organic produce, besides Jammu’s traditional handicrafts, Chabri, macramé décor, wooden crafts and traditional food products.
Each product will carry a QR code containing artisan details, district information and GI-tag credentials, enabling buyers to verify authenticity. The platform will also facilitate direct digital payments to artisan groups, eliminating middlemen and helping producers receive better returns.
Commissioner Secretary, Housing and Urban Development Department, Mandeep Kaur, described the initiative as a “game changer” for urban women artisans, saying it would provide them with a government-backed platform to access markets beyond J&K.
She said around 4,000 SHGs with nearly 50,000 women members are currently associated with DAY-NULM across the Union Territory. The department, she added, is exploring further interstate collaborations to expand the market footprint of their products.
Officials said JK Karigari brings together heritage, technology and inclusive growth, while QR-based traceability and secure transactions are intended to ensure authenticity for consumers and sustainable incomes for artisans.
The launch was attended by MPs Chowdhary Mohammad Ramzaan, Sajjad Kichloo and Gurvinder Singh Oberoi, along with senior officials, SHG members and representatives of urban development agencies.
The initiative also builds on J&K’s efforts to strengthen interstate market linkages. An agreement signed with the Uttar Pradesh Handicrafts Development and Marketing Corporation in November 2024 seeks to promote SHG products and handicrafts of both regions and expand their market access.
SHG beneficiaries welcomed the launch, saying access to wider markets had long remained one of their biggest challenges. They expressed hope that JK Karigari would help their products reach customers across the country while preserving the region’s rich craft traditions.