Raipur, 16 September 2023
Chhattisgarh state is continuously progressing as a leading state in the field of cocoon production. Kosa Silk Scheme is being implemented by the state government to promote forest based village industries. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Shri Bhupesh Baghel and the guidance of Village Industries Minister Guru Rudrakumar, all the schemes run by the Silk Division have provided employment to 3 lakh 14 thousand 953 people in the last five and a half years. The main objective of the schemes run by the Directorate of Village Industries, Silk Division is to provide employment to local villagers and especially women in rural areas, as well as to supply the demand of raw silk and create infrastructure to increase silk production, increase productivity and create new industries. The technology is being implemented at the field level.
It is worth mentioning that under the scheme run in various districts of the state, 10 thousand 486 hectares of tussar centers and sites in 423 natural forest areas and natural seed multiplication program on secondary food plants like Sal, Saja, Senha, Dhauvada, Ber etc. have been conducted. Under this, 505 camps were organized in natural forest blocks. Along with this, the work of tussar vermiculture is being done in departmental and forest blocks through vermiculturers of domesticated species and production of tussar cocoon is being done by rural beneficiaries and group members. After the formation of the new government in the state, in about four years, 86.58 crore pieces of tussar cocoons were produced and collected and from the cocoons produced, an estimated production of 1528.03 metric tons of tussar raw silk was achieved in the state.
Similarly, under Mulberry Silk Development and Expansion Scheme, 611 acres of mulberry plantation area is available under 68 Mulberry centers in the state. So far 3 lakh 5 thousand 402 kg mulberry cocoons have been produced. Due to which 38.17 metric tons of mulberry raw silk has been produced in the state. Under the scheme, Tussar raw and spun yarn is being produced by 2391 beneficiaries through 3784 motorized reeling cum twisting and spinning and Buniyaad machines in different districts of the state. Under the said scheme, the departmental employees and beneficiaries associated with the silk division will be given the opportunity to increase the quality and quantitative cocoon production under tussar and mulberry, field trials related to new methods and research and training by the Central Silk Board and production of high quality tussar mulberry, healthy group and tussar, Training is given on planting techniques of new varieties of mulberry and research activities like trials etc. are conducted to discover new varieties through research. In the last four and a half years, 8065 departmental employees, beneficiaries were given training in silk styles through workshops.
