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The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship launched two pilot projects in Jammu and Kashmir.

Pilot Projects launched

• Revive the traditional Namda craft under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) 3.0.
• Upskilling the artisans and weavers of Kashmir under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) which is a
  component of the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana.

Aim

• To strengthen the local weavers and artisans of Kashmir with enhanced productivity through learning, assessments and certifications.
• To preserve the traditional crafts of the region.
• The Namda project aims to benefit many craftsmen across 30 clusters in Kashmir.
• Therefore, the major aim is to establish a linkage between industry and market that will empower micro-entrepreneurship in Kashmir.

Objective

The objective of these projects is to boost and preserve the traditional Namda craft of Kashmir and upskill the local weavers and artisans to enhance their productivity through RPL assessment and certification.

Namda Craft

• Namda is a rug made of wool by felting technique. It is a traditional craft in Srinagar, Kashmir. 
• The history of the namda rug goes back to the eleventh century when a man named Nubi created a felted covering for Akbar's ill horse.
• The rugs are made from the wool of indigenous sheep in Kashmir which is felted not woven, giving it a unique texture. 
• Namda is usually a sandwich of many layers of wool flattened over each other. After a layer is spread, it is sprinkled homogeneously with water and pressed with a tool known as ‘pinjra’ (woven willow wicker). Finally, the carpet is embellished either by patches of coloured felted wool or with Kashmiri aari embroidery.
• Due to low availability of raw material, lack of skilled manpower and marketing techniques, the export of this craft has declined almost 100 percent between 1998 and 2008.