14-Dec-2022: Silk Samagra-2 scheme successful in achieving an increase of raw silk export from India to other countries

Ministry of Textiles provide financial assistance under National Handloom Development Programme through various components including Cluster Development Programme.  Under the scheme, need based financial assistance is provided on receipt of complete proposals as per the guidelines from State Governments for implementation of various interventions like upgraded looms & accessories, lighting units, workshed, design and product development, marketing support etc.

Since 2015-16 to 2022-23 (till 31.10.2022), financial assistance has been provided to 600 handloom clusters in the country, which includes 30 clusters in Telangana State.

12-Mar-2020: Silk Samagra Scheme for Development of Sericulture

Sericulture is an agro-based cottage industry having huge employment and income generating potential in rural and semi-urban areas. Silkworm rearing is mainly practiced in rural areas of the country providing livelihood to weaker section of the society.  Around 12,03,942 farming families and 56,013 reeler families are involved in Sericulture related activities in the country. State-wise percentage of people who depend on sericulture for their livelihood is given in Annexure-I.

The Government of India through Central Silk Board has been implementing a Central Sector Scheme “Silk Samagra” an Integrated Scheme for Development of Silk Industry (ISDSI) during the year (2017-20) with an aims & objective to scale up production by improving the quality and productivity and to empower downtrodden, poor & backward families through various activities of sericulture in the country. The scheme comprises four (4) major Components viz. (i) Research & Development, Training, Transfer of Technology and I.T. Initiatives, (ii) Seed Organizations, (iii) Coordination and Market Development and (iv) Quality Certification Systems (QCS) / Export Brand Promotion and Technology Up-gradation.

Funds allocated under plan programmes of the Silk Samagra since 2017-18 i.e. its first year of implementation is given below:

(Rs. in crore)

Out of the above allocation for the scheme, State-wise allocation of funds under “Silk Samagra” scheme during last two years (since scheme was implemented 2017-18 onwards) and current year towards implementation of beneficiary oriented components by States is given in Annexure-II.

Ministry of Textiles, Government of India through Central Silk Board (CSB) has taken following steps to promote sericulture in the country: 

1. CSB has been implementing a restructured Central Sector Scheme “Silk Samagra” for development of sericulture in the Country, which mainly focuses on improving quality and productivity of domestic silk thereby reducing the country’s dependence on imported silk.
2. Under North East Region Textile Promotion Scheme (NERTPS), 38 Sericulture projects are being implemented in all North Eastern States.
3. Research & Development has been focused to evolve productive silkworm/host plant hybrids and package of practices to improve quality and productivity. 
4. Automatic Reeling Machines (ARM)/Units have been established in the country to produce international standard silk of 3A-4A grade.
5. Mobilization of additional funds for sericulture development through convergence by availing the schemes such as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) being implemented by other Ministries of Government of India to create required infrastructure at stakeholder’s level.
6. The basic customs duty of 10% & 20% is levied on raw silk and silk fabric import respectively to stabilize the domestic silk weaving segment and make Indian silk export sector highly competitive.
7. In order to protect the domestic sericulture farmers and silk reelers, antidumping duty of US$ 1.85/kg has been imposed on Mulberry raw silk of 3A Grade & below originating in or exported from China PR.

26-Jul-2019: Integrated Scheme for Development of Silk Industry.

Under the Central Sector Scheme Silk Samagra an Integrated Scheme for Development of Silk Industry (ISDSI) implemented by Government of India through Central Silk Board (CSB) with a total outlay of Rs. 2161.68 crore for three years (2017-18 to 2019-20) for the overall development of silk industry in the Country with an objective to scale up production by improving the quality and productivity.

The scheme comprises four major components viz. (i) Research & Development, Training, Transfer of Technology and Information Technology Initiatives, (ii) Seed Organizations, (iii) Coordination and Market Development and (iv) Quality Certification Systems (QCS) / Export Brand Promotion and Technology Up-gradation.

Features of the Scheme: All the four major components of Silk Samagra are interlinked with each other and aimed at a common goal. The main objective of the scheme is to maintain Breeders stock, Breed improvement through R&D Projects, Development of mechanized practices, Technology translation through Sericulture Information Linkages and Knowledge System (SILKS) Portal, Mobile Application for Stakeholders and for seed quality monitoring, develop technology packages, impart training on improved technology programmes to Stakeholders, and transfer technology to the field through front line demonstration, produce Basic & Commercial Seed of the improved Silkworm breeds developed by the Research Institutes, encourage Private Partnership in Seed sector, and Maintain & Certify the quality standards set by the R&D units for Silkworm Seed, Cocoon, Raw Silk and Silk products covering the entire Silk value chain.

Major Interventions:

1. Research & Development: Race improvement through development of improved host plant varieties and improved disease resistant Silkworm breeds through collaborative research with reputed National Research organizations like IITs, CSIR, IISc and International research institutes on Sericulture.
2. Seed organisation: Seed production units will be strengthened to bring in quality standards in production network, besides increasing the production capacity to cater to the increased silk production target, promote adopted seed rearers to generate quality seed cocoons, Private Graineurs to produce quality seed and Chawki Rearing Centres (CRCs) with Incubation facilities to produce and supply chawki worms.
3. Quality Certification /Brand Promotion: Promote Indian silk through quality certification by Silk Mark not only in the domestic market but also in the Export market. Besides, emphasis has been given for use of Silkworm by-products (pupa) for Poultry feed, Sericin for Cosmetic Applications and Product Diversification into non-woven fabrics, Silk Denim, Silk Knit etc. for value addition.

The scheme also comprises of various beneficiary oriented components to support Mulberry, Vanya and Post Cocoon Sectors. These interventions cover the major areas viz. (a) Development and expansion of host plant, (b) Strengthening and creation of Silkworm seed Multiplication infrastructure, (c) Development of farm and post-cocoon infrastructure, (d) Up-gradation of reeling and processing technologies in Silk, and (e) Capacity Building through Skill development / Enterprise Development Programme.

The above scheme interventions are expected to increase/improve the production and productivity of silk. The details of expected outcome of the scheme are as under:

• Increase the Silk production from the level of 30,348 MTs (Metric Tonne) during 2016- 17 to 38,500 MTs by end of 2019-20,
• Increase the production of Bivoltine Import Substitute Silk to 8500 MTs from 5266 MTs in 2016-17.
• Increasing Vanya Raw Silk production to 11,500 MTs from 9075 in 2016-17 MTs.
• To produce International Grade Silk of 4A and above to minimize the import to bare  minimum.
• To generate additional employment to about 15 lakh person by reaching 100 lakh persons by end of March,2020 from the level of 85.10 lakh persons in 2016-17.

82562 villages under 455 districts in 26 silk producing states have been covered under the scheme “Silk Samagra”.

Sericulture is an agro-based cottage industry having huge employment and income generating potential in rural and semi-urban areas. It is estimated that sericulture industry provides employment to approximately 91.20 lakh persons (including 3.40 lakh persons in the State of Tamil Nadu) in rural and semi-urban areas in the country as of March-2019. Of these, a sizeable number of workers belong to the economically weaker sections of society, including women. This is mainly due to implementation of Government schemes and efforts made by State/ Central Government.

The main aim of “Silk Samagra” Scheme is to empower downtrodden, poor & backward tribal families through various activities of sericulture in the country including women. Women constitute over 60% of those employed in down-stream activities of sericulture like mulberry garden management, leaf harvesting and silkworm rearing etc. Even silk reeling industry including weaving is largely supported by them. An average of 30% women beneficiaries are being covered under the “Silk Samagra”. Women SHGs are involved in implementation of various beneficiary oriented components under “Silk Samagra” specially group activities. Through beneficiary oriented components of the scheme, support has been extended under Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) to take up sericulture activities by tribal for their livelihood. The scheme as employment provider tool improved the living standards and economic conditions of the downtrodden, poor, backward & tribal families by supporting to take up various sericulture activities for their livelihood.