Jahangir Khan Tareen Federal Minister for Industries, Production and Special Initiatives has commended Aik Hunar Aik Nagar - One Village One Product (AHAN) team for its efforts to alleviate poverty in the rural areas through creation and diversification of sustainable income earning opportunities, for the landless and especially the women.
He said this while chairing a Steering Committee Meeting of AHAN here on Thursday. Ms Hina Rabbani Khar State Minister for Economic Affairs, Secretary MOIP&SI Shahab Khawaja, Shahid Rashid CEO Smeda, Suhail Aamir Project Director (PD) AHAN and other senior officers of MOIP&SI also attended the meeting.
PD AHAN in his presentation told the meeting that AHAN plans to implement more than 100 pilot projects by December 2008. For the purpose, women are being trained in crafts like bead work and embroidery, rilli, and silverware in co-operation with Social Welfare Departments, Smeda, National College of Arts, and Lahore School of Fashion Design. PD also informed that AHAN is also working with some 8 designers to produce quality products.
Steering Committee in its deliberations decided to set up two more committees: Design Committee and the Marketing Committee. It was also decided that AHAN would hold a small exhibition of its products in Karachi on July 2, 2007 so that the Steering Committee can have a review of the various products developed by AHAN. Women who have got training in various arts and crafts under AHAN's programmes would also be invited to this exhibition.