Remedial measures to preserve silk weaving in Bhagalpur
Updated: Jul 26, 2014 02:47:55pm
New Delhi, Jul 26 (KNN) Situated on the banks of River Ganga, Bhagalpur is famous for its silk, especially the distinctive and lustrous Tussar of the coarse variety. It is said that the silk industry there is over two centuries old, the existence of an entire clan producing the exquisite fabric for generations bearing testimony to the fact.
The silk city is home to about 30,000 handloom weavers and silk weaving is an age old traditional household industry.
According to official data the total value of the trade from Bhagalpur cluster is around Rs 100 crore annually and while 50 per cent of the turnover is from domestic market, the balance is from the export market.
In the recent years however, the silk handloom weavers of Bhagalpur have been facing stiff competition from power loom and mill sector owing to high input cost, low productivity and availability of cheaper imported silk fabric etc, according to Minister of State for Textiles, Santosh Kumar Gangwar.
In addition, sluggish export market and capturing of export market by other major silk producing countries like China in the recent past have also affected the Bhagalpur silk industry, he said in the Rajya Sabha yesterday.
To protect and promote the sericulture industry/activities in Bhagalpur, the Government through the Central Silk Board has taken various remedial measures to ensure the development of tussar silk industry.
One of the initiatives is the Basic Seed Multiplication and Training Centre (BSM&TC) for production and supply of superior quality basic tussar seeds to the State Government units, for further multiplication and supply of silkworm seeds to tussar rearers, the Minister said.
It has also started a Demonstration-Cum-Technical Service Centre (DCTSC) for demonstration of improved technologies to reelers and weavers and to provide required training to the beneficiaries.
In addition, there is a Sub-Unit of Tussar Raw Material Bank (TRMB) for providing local market support for the producers of Tussar cocoons by providing a remunerative price for their produce.
Gangwar also said that the Government of India through Central Silk Board is also implementing Catalytic Development Programme (CDP) in coordination with the Government of Bihar, to provide support for development of host plantation, construction of Rearing houses/CRCs/Cocoon storage houses, assistance to Tussar Seed production, support for state Department for strengthening of Eri Farm-cum-Grainages, rearing appliances, establishment of improved cottage basin reeling units, support for hot air driers etc.
Under Quality Certification System (QCS) scheme, the Silk Mark Organisation of India (SMOI) organises structured and well planned Silk Mark Expos in various cities across the country regularly and provides a platform to weavers, traders and exporters to showcase and sell their silk products including sarees. Weavers and Exporters from Bhagalpur region also participate in these expos in a big way and are benefited.
For holistic and sustainable development of handloom sector including weavers of Bhagalpur, the Ministry of Textiles, through various schemes and programmes, facilitates marketing of handloom products, infrastructure development, brand building, training and skill upgradation, infusion of new and contemporary designs through design intervention as well as product diversification, technology upgradation, easy access to raw material at subsidized prices and easy credit flow at low interest rate etc. besides providing better health care and life insurance under welfare schemes.
One big handloom cluster, covering 5000 looms and 5 small clusters, covering 300-500 looms, have been sanctioned for Bhagalpur weavers. One Mega Handloom Cluster has also been approved in the budget of 2014-15 for Bhagalpur.
Further, the Government has setup one Weavers Service Centre at Bhagalpur for providing various services such as skill upgradation, design and product development etc. (KNN/ES)
The silk city is home to about 30,000 handloom weavers and silk weaving is an age old traditional household industry.
According to official data the total value of the trade from Bhagalpur cluster is around Rs 100 crore annually and while 50 per cent of the turnover is from domestic market, the balance is from the export market.
In the recent years however, the silk handloom weavers of Bhagalpur have been facing stiff competition from power loom and mill sector owing to high input cost, low productivity and availability of cheaper imported silk fabric etc, according to Minister of State for Textiles, Santosh Kumar Gangwar.
In addition, sluggish export market and capturing of export market by other major silk producing countries like China in the recent past have also affected the Bhagalpur silk industry, he said in the Rajya Sabha yesterday.
To protect and promote the sericulture industry/activities in Bhagalpur, the Government through the Central Silk Board has taken various remedial measures to ensure the development of tussar silk industry.
One of the initiatives is the Basic Seed Multiplication and Training Centre (BSM&TC) for production and supply of superior quality basic tussar seeds to the State Government units, for further multiplication and supply of silkworm seeds to tussar rearers, the Minister said.
It has also started a Demonstration-Cum-Technical Service Centre (DCTSC) for demonstration of improved technologies to reelers and weavers and to provide required training to the beneficiaries.
In addition, there is a Sub-Unit of Tussar Raw Material Bank (TRMB) for providing local market support for the producers of Tussar cocoons by providing a remunerative price for their produce.
Gangwar also said that the Government of India through Central Silk Board is also implementing Catalytic Development Programme (CDP) in coordination with the Government of Bihar, to provide support for development of host plantation, construction of Rearing houses/CRCs/Cocoon storage houses, assistance to Tussar Seed production, support for state Department for strengthening of Eri Farm-cum-Grainages, rearing appliances, establishment of improved cottage basin reeling units, support for hot air driers etc.
Under Quality Certification System (QCS) scheme, the Silk Mark Organisation of India (SMOI) organises structured and well planned Silk Mark Expos in various cities across the country regularly and provides a platform to weavers, traders and exporters to showcase and sell their silk products including sarees. Weavers and Exporters from Bhagalpur region also participate in these expos in a big way and are benefited.
For holistic and sustainable development of handloom sector including weavers of Bhagalpur, the Ministry of Textiles, through various schemes and programmes, facilitates marketing of handloom products, infrastructure development, brand building, training and skill upgradation, infusion of new and contemporary designs through design intervention as well as product diversification, technology upgradation, easy access to raw material at subsidized prices and easy credit flow at low interest rate etc. besides providing better health care and life insurance under welfare schemes.
One big handloom cluster, covering 5000 looms and 5 small clusters, covering 300-500 looms, have been sanctioned for Bhagalpur weavers. One Mega Handloom Cluster has also been approved in the budget of 2014-15 for Bhagalpur.
Further, the Government has setup one Weavers Service Centre at Bhagalpur for providing various services such as skill upgradation, design and product development etc. (KNN/ES)
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