Dharamsala, October 22 – The Department of Finance of the Central Tibetan Administration launched an economic survey to study the Tibetan business enterprises in exile to “ascertain the level and nature of business undertaken by the exile Tibetans”.
In a public notice issued by its Economic Affairs Division, the department appealed the Tibetan business community to cooperate in this survey which promises to be entirely for research purposes. The survey, according to the notice, will measure the magnitude of the exile Tibetans’ dependence on sweater selling business in India.
The department will send questionnaires to the various sweater sellers’ associations in India. A team of surveyors from the department’s Paljor Research and Policy Unit will visit various Tibetan settlements, business centres and organisations in exile and collect information about their business undertakings.
According to a statement issued on 18 August to release the 12th Kashag’s three-year Integrated Development Plan, which was finalised on 12 August this year, said that the exile Tibetan population is undergoing a major demographic, socio-cultural and economic and political change. The department promises to work diligently for success and realisation of the goals of the Kashag.
Sweater selling business has been a major source of livelihood for a bulk of the exile Tibetan populace since late 60’s.
