Committed to elevate India to the top position in global silk production: Giriraj Singh, Union Minister of Textiles

Coastal Talk News | Bengaluru

Giriraj Singh, Union Minister of Textiles, along with Shobha Karandlaje, Union Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Labour and Employment, inaugurated the 77th Foundation Day program of the Central Silk Board and the exhibition of silk products and technologies at the UAS-GKVK auditorium in Bengaluru on Sunday.

Addressing the event, Giriraj Singh, said that the Central Government is committed to the expansion of the country's sericulture sector and the economic progress of silk farmers. The nation's silk production, which stood at 26,000 metric tonnes in 2014, has increased to 42,000 metric tonnes at present. A target has been set to scale this up to 60,000 metric tonnes by 2030-31, and a resolve has been made to elevate India to the top rank globally in silk production by 2028-29. In this direction, by enhancing the yield of mulberry leaves and increasing cocoon rearing cycles, there is an aspiration to raise the annual income of farmers to ₹10 lakh to ₹12 lakh, he said.

Minister called for organizing ‘Best Silk Farmer’ award competitions at the district, state and national levels to cultivate a competitive spirit among sericulture farmers. Emphasizing that new innovations from scientists, hybrid varieties, and modern machinery must reach farmers directly, Minister explained that demand for Indian silk is rising in the international market at a time when China's production is declining. Strengthening the entire value chain from sericulture to reeling and weaving, taking the country's textile market to 300 billion dollars and ensuring minimum economic security for weavers and the working class are the primary priorities of the Government, Minister added.

Shobha Karandlaje, said that Karnataka occupies the leading position in the country's total silk production and Government is giving special attention to infrastructure development and industrial growth to further strengthen this sector. She added that the prime objective of the Government is to provide suitable market access to local producers and generate new employment opportunities in the sericulture and textile industrial sectors.