As a major platinum Jubilee initiative, J&K Bank today organised a 3-Day Dastakar Mela at Badamvaer Park, Srinagar in which hundreds of men and women artisans participated.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah inaugurated the mela and unveiled the “Dastakar Project” in presence of Minister for Rural Development Ali Mohammad Sagar, J&K Bank Chairman & CEO Mr. Mushtaq Ahmad and Directors on J&K Bank Board Abdul Majid Mattu & Mohammad Ibrahim Shahdad. The bank’s Executive Presidents, Presidents, Director Handicrafts, other senior functionaries of the government and the bank were also present.
Chief Minister visited the make-shift stalls erected in Badamvaer and listened to the stall-owners, artisans and craftsmen. Carpets, Kani shawls, papier-mâchié works, Namda-work, Crewel work, Chain-stitch, copper-work and pottery work are at full display at thestall.
Speaking to a jam-packed gathering of artisans mainly from the Shehr-e-Khas Srinagar, Omar said, “One who toils must get the fruit. It is unfortunate that you work hard and someone else makes the money. With J&K Bank, we would like to ensure that you get the returns that you rightly deserve for your craft and labour so that your progeny while carrying forward the legacy recalls you with a sense of pride.     
There are 3.75 lac artisans in the valley out of whom 1.80 lac are full timers. This is a huge number.  As we feel delighted to see our handicrafts exports growing to 1500 crores, we forget to appreciate the fact that there are lacs of people whose lives, dreams and hopes are attached with this industry. And these very people must get what they deserve out of this growing trade”
While stressing upon the need to expedite the loan processing at banks and other levels, Chief Minister urged the artisans to avail the finances from the bank so that they are able to manufacture, market and sell the handicrafts and thereby save themselves from the exploitation of middlemen.   
“Times have changed so too should our arts and crafts. New products with new colours, new designs need to be introduced so as to meet the changing customer needs and tastes. Like you can make chain-stitch covers for mobiles, i-pads, laptops or do something innovative in papier-mâché works”, he said.
However, we have to compete not only for markets but with those opportunists and fake-dealers, who have harmed the interests of lacs of artisans in order to make quick money. We are checking the menace by getting Geographical Indicators for our handicraft products, he added.  
Ali Mohammad Sagar congratulated the bank’s leadership for organizing the Dastakar Mela and said that the financial facilities must reach every artisan of the valley.  
“J&K Bank is our pride, so the bank on priority basis needs to remove whatever impediments are there in the hassle free disbursement of credit to this sector”, he said.  
Earlier in his inaugural address welcoming the Chief Minister, Rural Development Minister and other dignitaries Chairman Mr. Mushtaq Ahamd said, “J&K Bank understands well that the craftsmen and artisans remain not only at the center of Jammu and Kashmir’s craft excellence but they are the symbols of our identity. In recognition of this fact, J&K Bank has always been playing a key role in providing finances to the artisans.”
The launching of Dastakar Project, a comprehensive project in collaboration with the Directorate of Handicrafts, is an attempt to provide much bigger impetus to the craft industry.
He said, “Expediting the loan processing, under the project we plan to cover 2 lac artisans under 14 categories of crafts within the next 3 years. By the end of this fiscal, 25000 artisans shall be provided the requisite finances.
“During the last few years, our credit in the state has grown from Rs 9000 crores to Rs 18000 crores and we envisage an aggregate target of Rs 25000 crores credit within next three years.
And today at this forum I assure you that J&K Bank would walk an extra mile in holding these magical hands and accompany them to their rightful place and status in the socio-economy of the state”, he added. 
During the mela, Chief Minister felicitated ten star entrepreneurs in the bank’s Seed Capital Fund Scheme under SKEWPY who have performed with excellence in establishing their businesses in handicrafts. The performers included Shaheen Akhter who is an entrepreneur in craft-goods and has annual business turnover of around 80 lacs and Jehangir Ahmad whose Jehangir Textiles  is already doing an annual business of touching Rs.1 crore. He also distributed Artisan Credit Cards among the beneficiaries.
The function concluded with vote of thanks presented by the bank’s director Abdul Majid Mattuu. Other attractions of the mela are food-stalls near the entrance and the live musical performances at the amphitheatre of the park.