The Minister of State for Textiles (Independent Charge), Santosh Kumar Gangwar on Wednesday, laid the foundation stone of Pashmina Dehairing Plant at Pashmina Dehairing Plant Complex, Skalzangling, Leh and also launched the Pashmina Promotion Programme (P-3) an effort toward increasing Pashmina wool production.

As Ladakh region produces the finest Pashmina wool (specialty fiber) in the world that has high demand globally. Ladakh region grow about 45 Ton of Pashmina wool every year having population of about 2.50 lakh Pashmina goats in Ladakh region.

Gangwar assured to implement the programme successfully in time bound manner and increase pashmina wool production up to 65 tonnes by the end of 12th Five Year Plan.

The Ministry will also be introducing programme for value addition of dehaired Pashmina in Leh itself in consultation with Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council.

Under Pashmina Promotion Programme, major provision has been made for establishment of latest technology imported Pashmina Dehairing Plant at Leh with total financial allocation of Rs.19.35 crore including other machineries like Scouring, Drying, and boiler along with construction of building for installation of these machineries at Leh.

The existing Deharing Plant has outmoded Chinese dehairing machine which is not sufficient to de-hair even 45 Ton of Pashmina wool produced there and with present capacity it can only de-hair upto five ton pashmina.

The Ministry has decided to give more priority to Ladakh region being a border state.