Bhubaneshwar, June 30 (KNN) The Handloom, Textiles and Handicraft department of Odisha has urged the state government to formulate new schemes to be funded by the central government to raise tussar silk production.

While addressing a state-level workshop on technology dissemination, commissioner secretary, Handloom, Textiles and Handicraft, Shubha Sarma said “there is an urgent need to expand the area of Tussar cultivation in order to increase the total production in the state.”

Addl.PCCF of Odisha, Pradeep Raj Karat pointed out that since tussar is a forest-based activity, the Vanya Surakhya Samiti (VSS) can play an important role in increasing the Tussar production.

There was a presentation put forward by the CSB during the workshop covering different aspects of new technologies related to the plantation of host plants, rearing of tussar silkworm and post cocoon technologies.

There is a need for cooperation among different departments like forest, textiles and central silk board to bring the development initiatives into a workable model while targeting the livelihood generation of stakeholders.  (KNN Bureau)