Union Minister of Textiles Smriti Zubin Irani launched four projects in the North East for development of the silk sector on 19 February 2019.
Muga Silkworm Seed Production Centre (SSPC), Tura, Meghalaya, was inaugurated. This is one of the projects taken up directly by the Centre Silk Board (CSB) for implementation under Integrated Sericulture Development Project (ISDP) of NERTPS for creation of seed infrastructure units in North Eastern states.
The capacity of the unit is one lakh commercial dfls per year and around 300 farmers will be covered directly. The creation of additional Muga SSPC will strengthen the Muga seed sector.
The minister also inaugurated Silk Printing & Processing unit in Agartala, Tripura. The unit has been set up at the project cost of Rs 3.71 crore for production, printing and processing of 1.5 lakh mtr silk per annum. The project has been implemented directly by the state in coordination with CSB.
Another project to be launched was Eri Spun Silk Mill in Sangaipat, Imphal East, Manipur. The project was approved at a total cost of Rs 21.53 crore in September 2018. The project will be directly implemented by the state in co-coordination with CSB.
The installed production capacity of the mill is 55 million tonne of quality Eri spun silk yarn by consuming about 74 million tonne of Eri cocoons per annum. The expected turnover at installed capacity utilisation of 80 percent during the first year is around Rs 10 crore with a net profit of Rs three crore.
The project is expected to generate direct employment to 107 people and indirect employment to around 1,500 farmers through backward linkage and around 730 weavers through forward linkage.
Apart from this, a project for development of sericulture in the district of Mamit, Mizoram, was approved at a total cost of Rs 11.56 crore, which includes the Centre’s share of Rs 10.82 crore. The project will be implemented directly by the state in co-coordination with CSB.
The project covers 684 beneficiaries and will create employment for 3,250 man-year.
The minister also inaugurated a new office building of Weavers Service Centres (WSC) in Indore, Madhya Pradesh and Kannur, Kerala. The construction work for WSC, Kannur building commenced in October 2016 and was completed in February 2019 at a total cost of Rs 228.53 lakh.
The construction work of WSC Indore’s new building commenced in October 2017 and completed in December 2018 at a total cost of Rs 209.43 lakh.