Employment Generation

• There are approximately 78,000 rural women and men, and most of them in tribally dominated remote regions who are directly connected to sericulture.
• The state has been able to use sericulture as a major source of self-employment and economic empowerment.

Tasar Silk Promotion

• Chhattisgarh focuses mainly on Tasar silk, which is cultivated in forest-rich tribal regions
• Constant plantation drives and training are carried out to boost production.

Awards & Recognition

• The Raigarh district was awarded as an Excellent District because of the encouragement of silk farming.
• Lalit Gupta was a farmer of Amaghat, Tamnar (Raigarh), who was identified as an Excellent Farmer due to his role in being an inspiring farmer.

“Mera Resham Mera Abhiman” Programme

• The Central Silk Board (CSB) started a technology transfer campaign.
• Vision: To facilitate the connection between the research institutions and farmers at the grassroots.
• Scientists train on new methods, pest management and scientific rearing.
• Assists farmers to abandon the traditional ways of doing things to adopt modern and sustainable ways.

Govt. Schemes (DORI) Objectives

• Generate rural employment.
• Boost the production of silk as per the demand.
• Build sericultural infrastructure.
• Bring in new methods to increase productivity.

About Sericulture in CG (sericulture.cgstate.gov.in)

• 2nd largest in cocoon production (after Jharkhand).
• Predicted to be number 1 within next few years as a result of increased production.
• Chhattisgarh has 45% forest cover, on which tasar host plants grow.

What is Sericulture?

• Silk farming or sericulture is the cultivation of silk worms to produce raw silk.
• It is a pastoral cottage industry, where agriculture (cultivation of mulberry, castor, etc.) and industry (reeling, spinning, weaving) are mixed.

It involves:

• Growing food to feed silkworms.
• Silkworms rearing to produce cocoons.
• Spinning and reeling of silk cocoons.
• Value addition, processing and weaving.
• The most commonly used species of silkworm is Bombyx mori.
• Silk is referred to as the Queen of Textiles, and is also referred to as BioSteel, because of its strength.

Historical Perspective

• Origin traced to China around 2700 BC (legend of Empress Si-Ling-Chi).
• Spread to India around 140 AD; later to Europe and other parts of Asia.
• Today, China and India dominate world silk production, together contributing over 60%.
• In India, sericulture has flourished as a cottage industry in states like Karnataka, Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Jharkhand.

Types of Silk in India

• India has the distinction of making all four major silk:
  • Mulberry Silk (91.7%) (to Bombyx mori (Karnataka, West Bengal, J&K).
  • Tasar Silk (1.4%) → Tribes in Jharkhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Odisha.
  • Eri Silk (6.4%) to Assam, Meghalaya (non-violent Ahimsa silk).
  • Muga Silk (0.5 per cent) → Assam only, of golden-yellow.
  • Only the North-East part of India produces all the 4 varieties (Mulberry, Muga, Eri, Tasar) in the world.

Sericulture in India

• 2nd biggest silk producer (after China).
• The only nation that manufactures all the five commercial silks- Mulberry, Tropical Tasar, Oak Tasar, Eri and Muga.
• 4.5 million hectares of mulberry.
• Has approximately 55 lakh employees (women and rural households in particular).

Top states producing silk

• Karnataka (65%)
• Andhra Pradesh (17%)
• West Bengal (8%)
• Tamil Nadu (5%)
• Assam (2.5%)
• Jammu & Kashmir (1.2%)

Central Silk Board (CSB)

• Established- in 1948 as Statutory body Central Silk Board Act
• Works under the Ministry of Textiles
• Functions:
  • Research and development, seed-development.
  • Developing policy regarding importation/ exportation of silk.
  • Marketing of the quality certification of silk and branding.
  • Training and market support.

Opportunities & Importance

• Man-hour intensive: 1 hectare of mulberry = 12 man-years of labour.
• Poverty alleviation & rural development.
• Fast growing compared to other crops.
• Export potential on the basis of handwoven silks demand in the international markets.
• Festivals/rituals of cultural importance.

Government initiatives in silk production

• Integrated Scheme of Development of Silk Industry- feed, seed, breed, technology and training interventions.
• Silkworm Seed Act- quality assurance.
• Cold storage facilities and bivoltine seed production facilities increased.
• Amendment of Forest Conservation Act- permits Vanya (wild) silk farming in forest.
• The innovations of CSB through research and development- automatic reeling units, better farm machinery, and spinning units.
• Popularization of handloom silk weaving centers- Kancheepuram, Varanasi, Dharmavaram etc.

Conclusion 

The state of Chhattisgarh has been dubbed as the Best Sericulture State because of its consideration of rural peoples and sustainable silk cultivation. Thousands of tribal families have been empowered through the sector in terms of stable income opportunities. Programs such as Mera Resham Mera Abhiman can make sure that technology gets to the grassroots. This achievement enhances the reputation of Chhattisgarh as a center of production of Tasar silk in India.