New Delhi, Mar 22: The Carpet Export Promotion Council (CEPC) convened a Committee of Administration (COA) /Board meeting today to address the alarming rise in machine-made carpets being falsely marketed as handmade carpets. This deceptive practice is causing severe
damage to the reputation of India’s handmade carpet industry and threatening the livelihoods of thousands of artisans, weavers particularly of Kashmir Region.
Recognizing the urgency of the situation, the COA unanimously decided to escalate the matter to the highest authorities, including the Ministry of Textiles (MoT) and the Prime Minister’s Oce (PMO), calling for immediate intervention and stringent measures to curb this fraudulent
trade practice.
To enforce strict action against such malpractices, the Committee will recommend to the Government of India for formation of a dedicated enforcement team which shall be responsible for conducting raids and taking action against the businesses who are suspected or found selling machine made carpets.
CEPC Chairman Kuldeep Raj Wattal, along with COA members from Jammu and Kashmir, Sheikh Ashiq, Shaukat Khan and Meraj Jan and also the members of other regions rearmed the Council’s
unwavering commitment to preserving the authenticity of handmade carpets and safeguarding the artisans whose livelihoods depend on this traditional craft.
