India's raw silk production reaches 34,042 MT

New Delhi

The country has seen a significant increase in raw silk production, which has grown by 9,743 metric tonnes over the past ten years. This growth is attributed to various central government schemes such as the Catalytic Development Programme (CDP), North East Region Textile Promotion Scheme (NERTPS), Integrated Scheme for Development of Silk Industry (ISDSI), and Silk Samagra and Silk Samagra-2 initiatives. These programs have played a key role in boosting the sector.

The silk industry’s growth has also led to a projected employment generation of 80.90 lakh persons, with 71.2 lakh people employed directly and 9.7 lakh indirectly. Furthermore, the establishment of 109 Automatic Reeling Machines (AMRs) in India has helped increase the production of high-quality silk, specifically international grade (3A and 4A) silk.

In a written response to a question in Rajya Sabha on March 26, the Minister of State for Textile, Pabitra Margherita, highlighted that the government has been working on the Silk Samagra-2 scheme, which was launched with a budget of Rs 4,679.85 crore to develop the sericulture industry. The scheme provides financial aid to states to support various initiatives such as silkworm rearing, infrastructure development, and improvements in both pre- and post-cocoon sectors. Rs 1,075.58 crore has already been disbursed to help around 78,000 beneficiaries.

Research and development efforts have further enhanced silk production, contributing to the goal of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat in the silk sector.