SRINAGAR Sept 30: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today said that by social harmony and capabilities we can take Jammu and Kashmir to new heights.
The LG said this at SKICC here in his inaugural address at a day-long workshop on Sericulture in J&K, “Silk Samagra & beyond”.
“The way there is positive change taking place, people living in villages are getting a new type of confidence. By social harmony and capabilities we can make the future of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
He added that the efforts are being made to make Jammu and Kashmir self-reliant in agriculture and its allied sectors including sericulture.
“Almost 70 percent of the population is directly or indirectly dependent on agriculture and its allied sectors. If this sector is tapped fully, we can take economic, social and cultural development to new heights,” he added.
He urged all those who are associated with silk industry to come out of the past and look for the future.
“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 said, 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 LG said that the Government is working on area expansion under Mulberry Plantation to increase leaf availability for rearers and enrich green wealth. “Forest Department & Sericulture Department have 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,” he added.
“The futuristic roadmap for holistic growth of agriculture and 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 observed.
He underscored the importance of adoption of latest technological advancements in the 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,” he added.
The LG said that the Silk Samagra Yojana launched in 2017-18 under the guidance of the PM has proved to be game-changer in making sericulture sustainable by supporting the country’s as well as J&K’s silk industry in an integrated manner.
He said that 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,” he added.
The LG said that 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 benefitted in the coming years,” the LG observed.
Sinha 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.
The LG said that there are world bank funded road projects, efforts are being made to complete them.
He felicitated five progressive farmers and sericulturists and handed over cheques of Rs 1.57 lakh each to them.
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,” he added.
He further highlighted the high potential for increasing silk production in J&K.
Manzoor Ahmed Qadri, Director Sericulture Development Department, in his welcome address, said that special impetus is being given to the silk production in J&K under the aegis of Ministry of Textile, GoI.
Majid Hayat Bawan of M/s Bombyx Mori Silks highlighted the role of the private sector in silk reeling activities through a powerpoint presentation.
Dr Arun Kumar Mehta, Chief Secretary; Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture Production Department; Rajit Ranjan Okhandiar, Member Secretary Central Silk Board; Dr Sardar Singh, Director Central Sericultural Research & Training Institute, CSB Pampore, besides officers of UT administration, experts and sericulturists were present on the occasion.
