JK-Bank Launches Integrated Livelihood Enhancement Project To Develop Artisan Cluster In Kulgam 

SRINAGAR — Chairman and CEO, J&K Bank, Parvez Ahmed today undertook an extensive visit of Kulgam District alongwith Bank’s Executive Presidents, P K Tickoo and R K Chhibber, Presidents Mohammad Maqbool Lone and Ashraf Ali Malik, Vice Presidents Sushil Kumar and M A Wanchoo, and other senior officers of the bank to inaugurate various Business facilities apart from launching multiple initiatives under its CSR program.

As a major initiative aimed at the revival and development of willow wicking and pottery crafts in the state, Chairman laid the foundation stone of Saqafat Tahafuz Markaz or Common Facility Centre (CFC) at Okey (pronounced ‘Voki’) village of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district under the Bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program.

Prior to the inaugural function Chairman Parvez Ahmed along with his senior management team paid obeisance at shrine of Syed Ahmad Sahib Sarhandi (R.A), Syed Mohammad Sahib Sarhandi (R.A) and Syed Hussain Sahib Sarhandi (R.A) in the vicinity of the upcoming Centre. The function started with the recital of Qur'an and naa’t by students of Sheikh ul Alam Institute.

Chairman laid the foundation stone in presence of the Bank’s executives besides many notables from the area.

The project is a part of the chairman’s vision of adopting villages in the district associated with the production of Kangri (earthen fire pot) – which has become the Kashmir’s cultural symbol - and upliftment of related artisans by dispensing micro-credit for their socio-economic development in addition to the preservation of socio-cultural heritage of the state.

The project is a part of the Bank’s vision of heritage preservation by increasing the livelihood opportunities and the earnings of the craftspeople so as to encourage millennials to adopt these crafts as attractive means of employment. Bank, sensing urgency of the issue at hand with respect to the survival of the crafts and sustenance of the artisans associated with it, adopted a cluster of villages around Okey which is known for production of Kangri (fire pots) and earthen utensils with the purpose of promotion and development of the willow wicking and pottery crafts and the economic upliftment of the artisans associated with it.

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J&K Bank's Outreach in Kulgam Resize
The chairman expressed his elation at the resounding welcome extended by the people of the area who showered salutations and hailed him on his arrival at the place.

Speaking on the occasion, Chairman said, “The Common Facility Centre will become an asset for the people and bring prosperity to Okey and other connected villages besides helping preserve our socio-cultural heritage. The centre will promote talent and help produce world class products.”

 “It will provide an organised supply chain that will cater to the various stages of the manufacturing process and will aim to create general awareness, provide skill development and capacity building besides facilitating exposure visits to outside state and create market linkages like Dastkar Bazaar,” he added.  

The establishment of the centre will breathe a new life into the dwindling art of Kangri weaving and pottery and provide a one point centre for procurement and processing of raw material using modern tools and techniques, skill development of the artisans and sale of the finished product. 

Calling the activity as being synonymous with the bank’s corporate motto ‘Serving to Empower’, the chairman asserted that empowering people at the grass root level ensures that the weaker sections of society get an opportunity to avail banking services and become beneficiaries of the inclusive economy.  

Notably, the centre came up only after the bank got an in-depth survey of the industry done through an independent Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), that provided insights into the nature of interventions required on part of the state’s premier financial institution to revive the art and industry of willow wicking and pottery and develop it on modern and sustainable lines ensuring the overall development of the stakeholders.

Earlier Executive President P K Tickoo said that as Kashmiris we have grown up alongside kangri which continues to be an integral part of our culture, which must be preserved and produced for our posterity. Adding that the artisans should not restrict their craft to the production of kangri but upgrade it and manufacture other products at the centre as well.  

Executive President R K Chhibber thanked the people for their warmth said, “The centre will be a landmark for the area, whose inhabitants have showered unprecedented love and respect for our Chairman. It is almost a festival here today. People of the area should make use of this opportunity and change their fortunes for good.”

Present on the occasion, prominent citizens Abdul Rehman Mir and Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat hailed the Chairman for the landmark initiative which would transform the lives of the souls living in the village.

In his welcome address, Zonal Head M A Wanchoo thanked Chairman for adopting the village Okey. He said, “The centre will go a long way in uplifting the people and transforming the socio-economic profile of the area.”

The bank’s AVP Muzzafar Wani, also spoke on the occasion about the centre.

“The raw material will be made available for the centre that will house facilities for baking, dying, boiling and drying. Training centre will also be part of the centre for capacity building, skill development, design intervention and product diversification besides a business unit that will provide all the necessary financial and other banking services for the inmates”, he said while explaining the outlines of the ambitious project.

J&K Bank donates water purification plant to orphanage in Kulgam

J&K Bank committed towards the betterment of society in line with the teaching of our great saints: Parvez Ahmed

Committed to the wellbeing of weaker and vulnerable sections of the society, Chairman and CEO J&K Bank, Parvez Ahmed today presented a water purifier to provide potable water for the students of orphanage operating under the tutelage of Mir Syed Hussain Simnani (RA) and Mir Hyder Mubarak Rehmani (RA) shrine at Kulgam, under the bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program besides handing out utility bags to the children for their use.

After paying obeisance at the revered shrine, the chairman offered the facilities to the orphanage in presence of the Bank’s senior management team and members of the Auqaf committee of the shrine among eminent citizens of the area were also present on the occasion.

Peer Mohammad Afzal, Imam of the shrine, also performed dastarbandi of the chairman on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, the chairman reiterated the bank’s commitment to address the gaps in social infrastructure and alleviate the inconvenience of the people of J&K state and beyond through its CSR initiatives. “We shall continue to support and contribute towards the betterment of society in line with the teaching of our great saints”, he said.

The Chairman while assuring utmost support to alleviate inconvenience faced by the people asserted on the need to maintain the standard of education in schools maintained by the Auqaf committee for overall development of the society.

Expressing gratitude, members of the Auqaf committee while thanking the management of the bank for such generous gesture remarked, “The magnanimity shown by the bank’s leadership by gifting the facilities shall immensely help to alleviate problems of the poor and underprivileged orphans. We pray for the wellbeing of all those associated with the bank.”

J&K Bank inaugurates new Business Unit at Gopalpora, unveils new premises of Nillow Business Unit; commissions two ATMS

Business units will bring people into the fold of financial inclusion, provide world-class banking facilities: Parvez Ahmed

Later in the day, the chairman also inaugurated a new Business Unit (BU) at Gopalpora in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district and new refurbished premises of BU Nillow besides commissioning two Automated Teller Machines (ATM) at the respective places, bringing the people of the area into the fold financial inclusivity. 

After the inauguration ceremony, the chairman interacted with the customers of the area with whom, he said, shared a “deep emotional connect” and expounded the bank’s vision of bringing financial well-being and prosperity to every individual of the state and beyond. “The magnanimity that the people of the area have shown is unprecedented. It reiterates the faith that people of the state have in the bank. They should take full advantage of the facilities provided by the bank and bring prosperity and empowerment to every individual of the area which is the mission of J&K Bank”, he highlighted. The bank, he added, will contribute towards preservations of socio-cultural heritage of the state and beyond as well.

The people of the area expressed their gratitude towards the management of the state’s premier financial institution and lauded the chairman for “empowering” them financially and “promoting socio-economic development of the area” in addition to redressing the grievances on the spot.  

Chairman & CEO interacts with the customers of Kulgam Cluster

Issues on spot direction for expeditious resolution of issues

Chairman Parvez Ahmed presided over a customer meet at Government Guest House Chawalgam in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district.

Around 150 customers of the bank, representatives of various trade bodies of the district and members of the civil society attended the meeting in addition to Bank’s senior management team accompanying the Chairman. Heads of Business Units of the cluster and other senior officials of the bank were also present on the occasion.

The chairman had a detailed interactive session with the customers wherein he highlighted the role and responsibility of the state’s premier financial institution towards the socio-economic development of J&K State and beyond.

Stressing on the need to spread financial awareness among people by organising Financial Literacy Camps, through Rural Self Employment and Training Institutes (RSETI) and Lead Banks, the chairman took cognizance of the issues faced by them, especially related to loaning powers delegated to the branches, collaterals to loans and fund transfer limit enhancement on digital platforms and directed the heads of the concerned departments to address the issues expeditiously.

The chairman asserted on the importance of proper utilisation of bank funds and assured the customers of world-class banking facilities by passing on-spot directions for rectification of grievances. 

Expounding various schemes and facilities offered by the bank for various sections of the society, President, Mohammad Maqbool Lone, who also heads the customer service department of the bank, delineated diverse channels offered by the bank for redressing grievances of the customers.

The customers while acknowledging the developmental role of J&K Bank in the state and beyond, thanked the chairman for the initiatives undertaken by the bank and requested him  to conduct such interactions regularly.