Jharcraft (Jharkhand Silk Textile and Handicraft Development Corporation limited) initiated a training programme Srijan at Hazaribagh to train villagers of naxal prone Churchu block in cocoon formation, reeling, embroidery and handicraft.
Deputy Commissioner Sunil Kumar inaugurated this training programme on Monday in a function organised at Urban Haat, Hazaribagh. This training programme will last for 2-3 months and about 2,100 villagers, mostly women are taking part in it.
Jharcraft has divided Jharkhand into small clusters where they conduct these training sessions. The Hazaribagh cluster is known as Bagjogra cluster, which is in the Churchu block. There are 12 villages in this cluster. Jharcraft is developing this cluster for one and half years now. About 500 women have been already trained in reeling and handicraft from this cluster.
Hardly 2 months ago Madhukar Gupta, Advisor to the Governor, visited this Bagjogra cluster and took a close look of the works going on there. Impressed with the quality of silk and embroidery work done by the women, trained by this center, he directed the district and Jharcraft’s local officers to launch a massive training programme to boost Bagjogra silk and to make the villagers able to earn their livelihood. The district and Jharcraft administration took it seriously and within two months they have started this Srijan program.
Jharcraft have started laria eco race conservation for silk production. The Eco race of tasar survives on sal trees and sal tree is very dominant in Jharkhand. In association with CTR&TI (Central Tasar Research &Training Institutes) Ranchi, eco race conservation technique has been developed. Jharcraft will create the whole value chain of silk at this very cluster. It will involve cocoon rearing, spinning, weaving, dyeing, finishing, surface ornamentation technique etc.
2082 women are taking part in this training program. Out of these, 360 will be trained in Eco conservation of laria silk worms, 432 in reeling of cocoon by solar powered machines, 420 in kantha stitch, 420 in appliqué, 105 in zardosi, 105 in candle making and 240 in weaving.
DC Sunil Kumar said that Jharcraft has initiated a noble work and it is very necessary that women of this region must be trained properly. This will make the women of our region self employed and financially independent.
The Managing Director of JHARCRAFT Dhirendra Kumar said that Jharcraft is trying to develop more employment opportunities for the village women through the resources available in the villages. He hoped that with the help of this training the rural women will be empowered and be independent.
Other important persons who were present in the inauguration were Director of CTR&TI MK Sinha, in-charge Hazaribagh Jharcraft Rishabh Sahay, Member of District Board Parmeshwar Mahto, NDM SK Bharti, Jugnu Minj DWO Hazaribagh and Ganga Hansda, Joint Director, Industries Department, Hazaribagh.