Under the Pashmina Promotion Programme (P3) introduced in Ladakh region about two years ago, the average pashmina yield has increased by 9.3 per cent resulting in higher profitability to herders engaged in Pashmina goat rearing, textile minister Santosh Gangwar has said during a visit to the region recently.

Mortality of livestock has come down and critical rural infrastructure has been created under the P3 scheme in remote border areas inhabited by nomadic tribes leading to higher returns from Pashmina thereby improving the socio-economic status of Pashmina breeders, he said.

During his visit, Gangwar also dedicated five Solarised Community Centres and 100 shelter homes for the welfare of nomadic wool-growers involved in Pashmina sheep rearing, in Korzok in Ladakh’s Changthang region on Friday.

In an interaction with the nomadic wool growers of Changthang, for whom sheep rearing and Pashmina wool is the main source of income, Gangwar said the ministry of textile has ensured the release of funds for their development and providing assistance such as food, medicine and other assistances to the breeders.

The textile ministry is implementing Pashmina Wool Development Scheme (PWDS) and P3 with the help of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh and the programme has been expanded with enhanced financial assistance, Gangwar added.

Thus, pashmina producing goats are of great importance for revitalizing the economy of the Changthang and Leh district of Ladakh which produces more than 80 percent of the total Pashmina yield of the country.