Farmers wanting to construct rearing houses for silk worms may contact Uttarakhand Silk Directorate that is ready to extend financial assistance for the purpose under scheme for assistance in rearing house construction. The department aims to add 2,200 rearing houses in the existing lot in order to enhance silk production by popularising the scheme among the sericulturists across the state.
Financial assistance will be given in 80:10:10 format to the farmers. Central Silk Board will provide 80 per cent of the total construction cost, while State silk department and beneficiary will contribute 10 per cent each. A rearing house construction costs around Rs75,000.
The interested farmers would be given subsidy of Rs67,500. Beneficiary farmer will have to bear rest of construction cost that is Rs7,500. Experts from central silk board and state silk department will also provide training to the farmers.
Inspector IP Badola, who looks after technical affairs of the silk production, said, “At present, there are 2,200 rearing houses across the state. This year department aims at adding the same number to the existing lot in order to enhance silk production further.”
The department plans catalysing silk production by propagating the benefits of the scheme among the farmers in the areas congenial for the silk production. Department has already identified areas, including Pithoragarh, Nainital and Dharkot. In the areas, the department will make clusters of farmers and each cluster may comprise 150 farmers or more. The farmers will be promoted for construction of the rearing houses. Department has also plans for attracting new farmers to the sericulture in the areas.
Badola said, “Farmers must take advantage of the scheme meant for catalyzing the silk production. Once the farmers have their own rearing houses, their income will increase. This is appropriate time for the farmers to construct the rearing houses.”
Badola added that the department would also provide assistance to the farmers in purchasing kit required for insect rearing. Out of the estimate cost of the kit Rs 20,000, the central silk board will extend 80 per cent assistance followed by state silk department and beneficiary 10 per cent each.