‘We Need To Safeguard Skills Handed Down From Generation To Generation And Make This Sector Financially More Attractive’
Srinagar- Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha said on Friday that the prime objective of his administration was to make lives of farmers associated with the sericulture sector better and to ensure uniqueness, beauty, and ingenuity, considered to be the hallmark of J&K’s crafts, dominates the global market.
Sinha made these remarks while inaugurating a day-long workshop on Sericulture in J&K, “Silk Samagra & beyond”, here at SKICC, an official spokesperson said Friday.
The LG, he said, commended the efforts of all the stakeholders, scientists, officers, and farmers for the holistic development of the sericulture sector in J&K, and said the workshop will serve as an effective tool to provide a platform for sharing of knowledge of latest technologies and details of government schemes to stakeholders for increasing productivity of silk in the UT.
“Our prime objective is to make the lives of farmers associated with this dream fabric better and to ensure uniqueness, beauty, and ingenuity, which are the hallmark of J&K’s crafts, dominates the global market,” the LG said.
Sinha, as per the spokesperson said that under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government endeavours to provide training, technology inputs, IT tools and such other infrastructure support required for the transformation of Sericulture.
“The futuristic roadmap for holistic growth of the agriculture & allied sector will help in ensuring product quality, quantity and boosting global demand. We need to safeguard skills handed down from generation to generation and make this sector financially more attractive,” the LG said.
The spokesperson said that the LG also maintained that the UT government is working on area expansion under Mulberry Plantation to increase leaf availability for rearers and enrich green wealth.
He said that the Forest Department & Sericulture Department has been working jointly for achieving the green mission of the UT.
“Avenues of Market Infrastructures to provide platform and facilitate the cocoon growers in selling their produce in their vicinity,” Sinha added.
The LG, the spokesperson said, also underscored the importance of adoption of latest technological advancements in silk to reduce the dependence on imported silk.
“One of the three important centers in the country for Research and Development, Training, Transfer of Technology and IT Intervention has been set up at Kashmir’s Pampore,” the LG said.
The LG, he said, also stated that the Silk Samagra Yojana launched in 2017-18 under the guidance of Prime Minister has proved to be a game-changer in making sericulture sustainable by supporting the country’s as well as J&K’s silk industry in an integrated manner.
“The Jammu and Kashmir administration has increased the revolving fund from Rs 70 lakh to Rs 3.50 crore. In Silk Samagra Phase-I, about 900 silkworm rearers directly benefited and about 618 rearing houses were also established,” Sinha said.
“The Central Silk Board has allocated Rs 35 crore for J&K under Silk Samagra Phase-II benefitting around 27,000 families involved in sericulture in the UT. Central Silk Board, Ministry of Textiles will enhance the funding as per the requirements of the UT of J&K, so that more and more farmers and entrepreneurs are benefited in the coming years,” he added.
According to the spokesperson, the LG also suggested the inclusion of Krishi Vigyan Kendras to enable a strong support system for sharing of information and developing necessary facilities to increase the income of farmers and providing them with linkages to Sericulture FPOs.
On the occasion, he said, the LG felicitated five progressive farmers and sericulturists and handed over cheques of Rs 1.57 lakh each to them.
The spokesperson said that Upendra Prasad Singh, Secretary, Union Ministry of Textiles, in his address, said that the Central Silk Board is working round the clock through its various regional centres to boost silk production.
“We are continuously focusing on quality and high-grade silk production,” Singh said, while highlighting the high potential for increasing silk production in the UT of J&K.