Being the single largest producer of Tussar silk in the country, Jharkhand is set to help India bridge the huge gap with China in silk production. “We are a distant second behind China which produces 90,000 meters of silk as against India's 23,000 meter per annum. We have made a vision document to increase silk production and promote livelihood in Jharkhand,” opined Dhirendra Kumar, Managing Director of Jharkhand Silk Textiles & Handicrafts Development Corporation (Jharcraft).
Jharkhand is the sole supplier of certified organic Tussar in the world and it has a huge potential to increase production with its experienced weavers, particularly in the Santhal Pargana region and availability of host plants on which silkworms thrive.
A Rs 8,500 crores project will be operational in six districts of Santhal Pargana with focus on generating employment for scheduled tribes, scheduled castes, minorities and the poor. Jharcraft has developed clusters which would provide supervision and marketing help on reeling, spinning, tribal paintings, stitching, katha stitch, satin stitch, block prints, appliqué and tie & dye. The
Union Textile Ministry has announced assistance of up to Rs 1,000 crores to help Jharcraft's endeavour in promoting livelihood for the rural poor and increasing silk production in the state.
