“Silk Samagra” to Empower the Farmers for Development of Silk Industry

An exclusive Cluster Development Project covering around 3500 farmers is under implementation in Kolar District for the development of Bivoltine sericulture. Besides, Central Silk Board (CSB) is implementing a Central Sector Scheme (CSS) viz. Silk Samagra “Integrated Scheme for Development of Silk Industry (ISDSI)” for development of silk industry in the country including Karnataka with a total outlay of Rs. 2161.68 crore for the period of three years (2017-20).

Under the scheme, assistance is extended to sericulture farmers for raising of Kissan Nursery, plantation with improved incubation facility, construction of rearing houses, rearing equipment, door to door service agents for disinfection and input supply, support for improved reeling units like automatic reeling units, multi-end reeling machines, improved twisting machines and support for post yarn facilities for qualify silk and fabric production. The State Government can avail the support under Silk Samagra for development of sericulture in Karnataka including Kolar district.

Under the Central Sector Scheme Silk Samagra an Integrated Scheme for Development of Silk Industry (ISDSI) implemented by Government of India through Central Silk Board (CSB) with a total outlay of Rs. 2161.68 crore for three years (2017-18 to 2019-20) for the overall development of silk industry in the Country with an objective to scale up production by improving the quality and productivity.  The scheme comprises four major components viz. (i) Research & Development, Training, Transfer of Technology and Information Technology Initiatives, (ii) Seed Organizations, (iii) Coordination and Market Development and (iv) Quality Certification Systems (QCS) / Export Brand Promotion and Technology Up-gradation

Features of the Scheme 

All the four major components of Silk Samagra are interlinked with each other and aimed at a common goal. The main objective of the scheme is to maintain Breeders stock, Breed improvement through R&D Projects, Development of mechanized practices, Technology translation through Sericulture Information Linkages and Knowledge System (SILKS) Portal, Mobile Application for Stakeholders and for seed quality monitoring, develop technology packages, impart training on improved technology programmes to Stakeholders, and transfer technology to the field through front line demonstration, produce Basic & Commercial Seed of the improved Silkworm breeds developed by the Research Institutes, encourage Private Partnership  in Seed sector, and Maintain & Certify the quality standards set by the R&D units for Silkworm Seed, Cocoon, Raw Silk and Silk products covering the entire Silk value chain.

Major Interventions- Research & Development: Race improvement through development of improved host plant varieties and improved disease resistant Silkworm breeds through collaborative research with reputed National Research organizations like IITs, CSIR, IISc and International research institutes on Sericulture.

Seed Organisation: Seed production units will be strengthened to bring in quality standards in production network, besides increasing the production capacity to cater to the increased silk production target, promote adopted seed rearers to generate quality seed cocoons, Private Graineurs to produce quality seed and Chawki Rearing Centres (CRCs) with Incubation facilities to produce and supply chawki worms.     

Quality Certification /Brand Promotion: Promote Indian silk through quality certification by Silk Mark not only in the domestic market but also in the Export market. Besides, emphasis has been given for use of Silkworm by-products (pupa) for Poultry feed, Sericin for Cosmetic Applications and Product Diversification into non-woven fabrics, Silk Denim, Silk Knit etc. for value addition.

The scheme also comprises of various beneficiary oriented components to support Mulberry, Vanya and Post Cocoon Sectors. These interventions cover the major areas viz. (a) Development and expansion of host plant, (b) Strengthening and creation of Silkworm seed Multiplication infrastructure, (c) Development of farm and post-cocoon infrastructure, (d) Up-gradation of reeling and processing technologies in Silk, and (e) Capacity Building through Skill development / Enterprise Development Programme. 

The above scheme interventions are expected to increase /improve the production and productivity of silk. The details of expected outcome of the scheme are as under:

Increase the Silk production from the level of 30,348 MTs (Metric Tonne) during 2016-    17 to 38,500 MTs by end of 2019-20,

Increase the production of Bivoltine Import Substitute Silk to 8500 MTs from 5266          MTs in 2016-17

Increasing Vanya Raw Silk production to 11,500 MTs from 9075 in 2016-17 MTs.

To produce International Grade Silk of 4A and above to minimize the import to bare  minimum.

To generate additional employment to about 15 lakh person by reaching 100 lakh persons by end of March,2020 from the level of 85.10 lakh persons in 2016-17.

82562 villages under 455 districts in 26 silk producing states have been covered under the scheme “Silk Samagra”.

Sericulture is an agro-based cottage industry having huge employment and income generating potential in rural and semi-urban areas. It is estimated that sericulture industry provides employment to approximately 91.20 lakh persons (including 3.40 lakh persons in the State of Tamil Nadu) in rural and semi-urban areas in the country as of March-2019. Of these, a sizeable number of workers belong to the economically weaker sections of society, including women. This is mainly due to implementation of Government schemes and efforts made by State/ Central Government.

The main aim of “Silk Samagra” Scheme is to empower downtrodden, poor & backward tribal families through various activities of sericulture in the country including women. Women constitute over 60% of those employed in down-stream activities of sericulture like mulberry garden management, leaf harvesting and silkworm rearing etc. Even silk reeling industry including weaving is largely supported by them.  An average of 30% women beneficiaries are being covered under the “Silk Samagra”. Women SHGs are involved in implementation of various beneficiary oriented components under “Silk Samagra” specially group activities.  Through beneficiary oriented components of the scheme, support has been extended under Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) to take up sericulture activities by tribal for their livelihood.  The scheme as employment provider tool improved the living standards and economic conditions of the downtrodden, poor, backward & tribal families by supporting to take up various sericulture activities for their livelihood.