With a view to increase production of Tasar silk in the largest Tasar producing State, the Directorate of Handloom, Sericulture and Handicraft organized a workshop ‘To Eradicate Poverty through Self Employment’ on Friday.
While speaking on the occasion as chief guest Department of Handloom, Sericulture and Handicraft, Director Uday Pratap said, “The production of Tasar silk in the year 2010-11 in the State was 1200 metric tonnes and now in 2017-18 it was at around 2,600 metric tonnes.
The State had produced more than 2600 metric tonnes of Tasar in 2016-17 but in next year the production decreased. We have to find out the reason and need to work on it. The State is largest producer of Tasar silk in the country and in world also.”
While encouraging other farmers to start sericulture Pratap said, “This industry has immense power to convert one’s dream into reality because environment and climate of the State is conducive for the industry. Indulging women in large numbers in sericulture is very good for self employment for them.
The Central Government and the State Government both have taken various steps to double the income of farmers involved in sericulture.”
The department has recruited Resham Doots, who get duty to provide required facilities like information regarding farming to farmers to improve their produce, Pratap added.
While lauding the State Tasar silk industry, Central Silk Board Deputy Secretary, GS Prabhakar said, “India is the main producer of Tasar silk with Jharkhand being the main State of its production. Producing Tasar is a rural art.
The State is successful to save its tradition and turned it in to source of income as a large numbers of people living in forest areas dependent on the industry.
The State Government has also done some very good work to improve the income of the farmers as providing them technological supports time to time.”
“Traditionally, women of the tribal and rural areas were trained in weaving silk out of cocoons and weaving fabrics out of the threads. Like most of the other textile arts, Tasar too became a fabric of mechanization.
The Tasar silk industry makes extensive use of rural and tribal labour.
The women who are absorbed by the industry are trained for production of Silk. It takes them 3 days to finish a single 10 meter Tasar silk cloth. For each employed labor, the task is to weave at least 10 silk sarees in a month. Each Tasar silk saree is sold for Rs 3,000 to Rs 3,500.
While the rural women who are involved in making the saree earn between Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,500 for a saree,” he added.
Additional Director, Handloom, Sericulture and Handicraft, Ranchi, Lalan Kumar Singh and Additional Director, Handloom, Sericulture and Handicraft, Dumka, Sudhir Kumar Singh were also present on the occasion.