Lok Sabha Question No. 1726 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-20
Subject: Silk Production in Assam
Ministry: TEXTILES
Asked by: NABA KUMAR SARANIA

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1726 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.12.2018

## SILK PRODUCTION IN ASSAM

## 1726.   SHRI NABA KUMAR SARANIA:

Will the Minister of Textiles वस्त्र मंरी be pleased to state:

- a) whether  State  of  Assam  has  potential  for  silk  production  and  silk fabrics; and
- b) whether the Government has plans to encourage silk production and its manufacturers?

## उत्तर ANSWER वस्त्र राज्य मंरी (श्री अजय टम्टा)

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR TEXTILES (SHRI AJAY TAMTA)

(a): Assam is the third largest silk producing state in the country, having potential  for  production  of  3  varieties  of  silk  (mulberry,  eri  and  muga), sharing  around  15%  of  country's  total  raw  silk  production.  Muga  silk  of Assam is the unique golden-yellow silk produced only in India. The varietywise production of silk in the State of Assam during last 3 years is as under:

| Year    |   Mulberry (MT) |   Eri (MT) |   Muga (MT) |   Total (MT) |
|---------|-----------------|------------|-------------|--------------|
| 2015-16 |              40 |       3143 |         142 |         3325 |
| 2016-17 |              52 |       3619 |         139 |         3810 |
| 2017-18 |              59 |       4645 |         157 |         4861 |

(b): Following  plans/schemes  of  Government  are  being  implemented  to encourage silk production and its manufacturers in the country including Assam:

- i. CSB has been implementing a Central Sector Scheme 'Silk Samagra' for  development of sericulture in the Country, which mainly focuses on improving quality and  productivity of domestic silk thereby reducing the country's dependence on imported silk. During the year 2017-18,  Rs.80.49  crore    were  released  to  different  States  towards support of beneficiaries for implementation of various critical components under 'Silk Samagra'.  Similarly, during the year 201819, Rs.24.62 crore has been released to different States for implementation of sericulture component of 'Silk Samagra', of which, Rs. 21.56 Lakhs has been released to Assam. The funds released to
2. the State Government for assisting the beneficiaries include activities from plantation development, cocoon production, silk reeling  & spinning, capacity building and allied activity.
- ii. Under  North  East  Region  Textile  Promotion  Scheme  (NERTPS),  32 sericulture projects are being implemented viz., Integrated Sericulture Development Project (ISDP) and Intensive Bivoltine Sericulture Development Project (IBSDP) covering Mulberry, Eri and Muga sectors in all North East States.  The projects aim at holistic development of sericulture in all its spheres from plantation development to production of fabrics with value addition at every stage of production chain. These projects have been approved at a total cost of Rs. 992.05 crore with Government of India share of Rs.849.03 crore for implementation from 2014-15 to 2020-21.  The projects are expected to  contribute  additional  production  of  around  2,600  MT  raw  silk during the project period and 1,200 MT silk per annum after project period involving around 60,000 beneficiaries.
- iii. To  encourage  production  of  silk  in  Assam,  6  projects  are  under implementation  in  13  districts  from  2014-15  to  2018-19  with  the financial  assistance  of  Rs.188.85  crore  from  Government  of  India  to cover Mulberry, Eri, Muga & Post Cocoon sectors. Further, 3 projects have  also  been  approved  for  Assam  (2  Eri    Spun  Silk    Mills  and  1 project  for  Eri)  during  current  financial  year  2018-19  with  a  total Government of India share of Rs.55.53 crore. Overall, 9 projects are approved/under  implementation  in  Assam  covering  Mulberry,  Eri, Muga and Post Cocoon Sectors and are expected to tap the potential for sericulture in Assam  by  creating  livelihood opportunities to farmers, silk reelers, spinners and weavers in the hinterlands.

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