Ladakh: LG okays 25% incentive, Rs 8 cr fund for Pashmina herders

Ladakh LG VK Saxena approved two key policies to support the Pashmina industry. A 25% top-up incentive on procurement value for herders and an Rs 8 crore revolving fund to ensure timely payments aim to boost production and support livelihoods.

Ladakh Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, in the first meeting of the newly constituted Ladakh Pashmina Development Board (LPDB), has approved two landmark decisions that aim at strengthening Ladakh's globally renowned Pashmina industry and improving the livelihoods of Changpa pastoral communities.

According to a press release, on Saturday, LG Saxena approved a major policy - "Livestock Development Incentive Programme" - introduced for the first time, that entails a top-up incentive of 25% on the total Pashmina procurement value to herders, for enhancing local Pashmina Production. The LG also approved "Rs 8 crore Revolving Fund" to the All Changthang Pashmina Growers Cooperative Marketing Society Ltd. (ACPGCMS), for procurement of raw Pashmina from the nomadic herders and upfront payments to the herders for their produce.

The twin initiatives seek to promote sustainable livestock development, increase the population of Pashmina goats, strengthen the cooperative procurement system, improve the quality and quantity of Ladakh Pashmina, ensure financial benefits to nomadic herders and eliminate distress sales. This would, in turn, also encourage younger generations to continue the traditional practice of Changthangi Pashmina goat rearing by making it a profitable and more respectable enterprise.

New Incentives for Herders

Ladakh is globally recognised for producing the world's finest quality Pashmina from the indigenous Changthangi goat, reared by the Changpa nomadic pastoral communities of Changthang. However, rising costs of livestock rearing, harsh climatic conditions and fluctuating market returns have adversely affected livestock productivity and the incomes of pastoral families in recent years.

Recognising these challenges, discussed during the first board meeting, LG Saxena approved the Livestock Development Incentive Programme, under which eligible Changpa herders will receive the 25% top-up incentive, to be paid over and above the procurement price paid by the Government. This incentive will be transferred directly to the beneficiary's Aadhaar-linked bank account through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system.

As per the release, this is the first-of-its-kind initiative, designed to make Pashmina goat rearing more profitable and sustainable. The policy has been carefully structured, wherein 60 per cent of this top-up incentive received by the herder will be utilised for livestock improvement and scientific breeding. The other 20 per cent will be utilised for infrastructure development, such as improved combing equipment and facilities to enhance Pashmina production, while the remaining 20 per cent could be used for the personal and household needs of the herder, thereby improving their financial sustainability.

Production and Quality Targets

It was also decided in the Board meeting that the population of Pashmina goats in Ladakh be increased from nearly 2 lakh at present to at least 4 lakh in three years time. A target has been set to increase the raw Pashmina production from 200 grams per goat at present to at least 350 grams per goat, using scientific techniques and advanced tools for combing.

Rs 8 Crore Fund to Ensure Timely Payments

To add to the Livestock Development Incentive Programme, the LG has also approved the Policy for Creation and Management of Rs 8 crore "Revolving Fund" for the ACPGCMS, the apex cooperative responsible for procurement of raw Pashmina directly from nomadic herders, said the release.

The Rs 8 crore fund will be utilised exclusively for the procurement of raw Pashmina and making timely payments to producers. The most striking feature of this fund is that the cooperatives will pay 50 per cent of the cost of the raw Pashmina, upfront to the herders, while the remaining 50 percent amount will be paid in two months' time. Earlier, the herders were receiving such payments from the cooperatives in 8-10 months' time, forcing herders to take loans from other sources to meet their expenses on rearing the goats.

A Comprehensive Strategy

According to the release, LG Saxena said that the Changpa pastoral communities are the custodians of one of Ladakh's greatest natural and cultural treasures, and the UT Administration is fully committed to securing their livelihoods while preserving this unique pastoral heritage. "The Livestock Development Incentive Programme and the Revolving Fund, together, represent a comprehensive strategy that addresses both ends of the Pashmina value chain - supporting herders in improving Pashmina productivity while simultaneously ensuring assured procurement and timely payments. These initiatives would make Pashmina goat rearing more remunerative, encourage greater investment in scientific livestock management, eliminate exploitation by middlemen and position Ladakh as the world's leading producer of premium-quality, ethically sourced and sustainably produced Pashmina," LG Saxena said.

The two decisions followed detailed discussions and suggestions from the stakeholders from across the Pashmina value chain, including Changpa Pashmina herders and cooperative societies, designers, industry experts and other stakeholders, for promoting sustainable Pashmina production, strengthening procurement mechanisms and enhancing the global competitiveness of Ladakh Pashmina. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianetnews Editorial staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)