The inaugural ceremony of three-day long ‘Tassar Silk Dealers Meet and Exhibition,’ began at Veer Sawarkar Bhawan here on Tuesday. Korba MP Banshilal Mahto was the chief guest at the programme. later, Mahto went through the exhibition and appreciated the handcraft work of the weavers . He said that the standard of living of the weavers could only be improved when they are professionally trained and educated. Chhattisgarh Handicrafts Development Board Chairman Santosh Dewangan said that the Board is working hard to improve the condition of the weavers and hand craftsmen.
The Silk Directorate operates Cocoon Bank and Silk Kosa Threading Centre in Dharampur village of the district. A total of 30 machines were installed at the Centre for Kosa threading, on which 28 beneficiaries are working. In another Centre, silk thread production works are done through Matka pulling system, in which 22 beneficiaries are working. As such, the Centre has become bread-earner for 50 families.
In 2010-11, the officers of Silk Directorate, by organising awareness camps in villages, had imparted training to the villagers in producing ‘Raily Kosa’.Thereafter, by launching a campaign with the assistance of the villagers, 25 lakh butterflies were released in Saal forests. As a result, 7.10 crore ‘Raily Kosa’ were produced in 2011-12 and 7.20 crore in the year 2012-13
Under the Tassar Silk Development and Expansion Scheme of Chhattisgarh Government's Rural Industry Department, nearly 1.2 lakh beneficiaries have been benefited during the previous financial year 2013-14, officials stated. Nearly 26.31 crore units of Kosa were produced in the previous year and total 394 metric tonnes of threads were produced from these Kosa fruits. Around Rs19.21 crore have been spent on this scheme.
Department officials informed that the total Kosa produced last year includes 5.83 crore units of Tassar cocoon and 20.48 lakh units of natural Kosa. Presently, total 139 Tassar centres are operating in the State, which includes 43 pilot project, 84 other Tussar centres and 12 Kosa seed centres. Under this scheme, nearly 11,656 hectare area is available for Tassar plantation, including 3276.50 hectare under departmental centres, 1291.50 hectares under MGNREGS, 4801 hectares under natural forest areas.
Chhattisgarh Village Industries Minister Punnulal had urged the Centre to open two yarn warehouses in Chhattisgarh to ensure adequate supply of yarn to weavers of the State. The Minister also demanded setting up of a ‘Trade Facilitation Centre’ in Chhattisgarh for encouraging Kosa producers of the State. The Centre has appreciated the efforts made by Chhattisgarh Government in increasing the production of raw Tassar silk.
Mohle also stated that Chhattisgarh is the second largest raw Tassar silk producing State in the country. “Against the national production demand for 200 metric tonnes, the State has been producing 500 metric tonnes of raw Tassar silk”, he added. Mohle said that Chhattisgarh will soon become the first State to produce 1,000 metric tonnes of Tassar silk in the coming 12thfive year plan.
This apart, nearly 2,596 beneficiaries have availed the Mulberry Development and Expansion Scheme of Chhattisgarh government during the previous financial year 2013-14, officials said. Around 65,000 kilogram Mulberry Cocoon and 8 metric tonnes of Mulberry Silk was produced last year. State Village Industries Department officials informed that the beneficiaries were provided required materials worth Rs27,120 for plantation on private land, along with the free of cost technical assistance.
About 1804 acres of land is available under Silk Development and Expansion scheme, out of which 635 acres is suitable for plantation. Presently, 73 silk centres, three Mulberry grainage, five reeling units, five twisting units, one Research Centre and 10 cocoon banks and four yarn banks are operating in the State.