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SERICULTURE IN JHARKHAND

Silk is a fine strand of fiber that is a solidified secretion produced by certain caterpillars to encase themselves in the form of cocoons.

The possibility of making cloth from the fiber that the silkworm spins into a cocoon was first discovered in China about 2600 B.C. Since then, silk worms have been bred for the sole purpose of producing raw silk.

SALIENT FEATURES OF IMPROVED SILKWORM REARING

• Rearing with Disease Free Laying (DFLs)
• Early stage worms are reared in specially maintained gardens within rearing fields -
  • Plants are regularly pruned
  • Plants receive higher dose of manures
  • Leaves are rich in nutrients
• Rearing of silk worm in the initial 15 days is carried out under nylon nets-
  • Offers complete protection against pest predators
  • Protects the tiny worms from strong winds, direct hitting by rain drops
  • Saves labour in watch & ward

EXPANSION STRATEGIES

• To reach out to places where people have been traditionally involved in Tasar sericulture and spread grain age activity so as to make disease free laying (DFLs) available to the Seri culturists in potential areas.
• Organize finances for setting up new grainages. Establish linkages for ensuring basic seeds for the grainages.
• Seed crop rearing activity. This activity involves building of seed cocoon stock through multiplication of basic seeds in one or two rearing cycles prior to the commercial crop rearing.
• While the cocoons harvested in the commercial crop rearing is utilized for yarn production, the harvest of the seed crop cycles (seed cocoons) are utilized in the grainages for the production of DFLs.
• Organize training to impart required technological skills among seed rearers.
• Campaigns to improve productivity of Commercial crop rearing. The crop taken up through the final life cycle of tasar insect in a year is considered as the commercial crop. The cocoons harvested in the commercial crop contain higher amount of extractable silk filaments.

  SILK IN JHARKHAND : MAINLY TASAR

  Tropical Tasar silk production originated in the Chotanagpur plateau of India and its origin and history are lost in antiquity.
  Tasar culture is a way of life for the tribal and forest dwellers, particularly in Central and Eastern India.

  Tasar culture is a backbone for Tribal development, and the Government of India, through the Central Silk Board and different State Governments have initiated several developmental and welfare measures for the tribal welfare through it.

  Jharkhand, much like Chattisgarh and Uttaranchal, is endowed with adequate forest cover.
  These forests are home to two species of trees -

• Arjuna (Terminalia Arjuna) &
• Asan (Terminalia Tomentosa)

  Which are breeding ground for the moth which produces the cocoon from which Tasar yarn is reeled.

Jharkhand's forest department is also planning to encourage planting of Arjuna trees in place of the traditional Acacia or Eucalyptus trees.

On its part, the CTR & TI (Central Tasar Research and Training Institute), is planning to use tissue-culture methods to identify and develop high yielding varieties of Arjuna.

RESOURCE AVAILABILITY

The Tasar Silk Industry has rich..

• Natural resources as food plants, and
• Man-power as tribals,
  and the challenge is to utilize these to bring about a balanced development in keeping with tribal traditions and their way of life in Jharkhand.

  Tasar culture has now two distinct entities -

• Tropical Tasar, &
• Temperate Tasar

ACTION PLAN FOR DEVELOPMENT OF SILK INDUSTRY

• Increase cultivation of host plants
• Promotion of a forestation by setting up nurseries.
• Promote proper silkworm rearing techniques amongst Seri culturists.
• Production of Disease Free Laying in large quantities.
• Increase post-cocoon activities.
• Better arrangements for sale of cocoons through local Haat markets.
  Post cocoon activities of PPCs
• Training 10 beneficiaries on Thread reeling and fabric weaving, per center per year.
• Using the trainees for reeling and weaving of cocoons available at the centers.
• Sale of prepared fabric.
• Organize bank supports for self-employment of trained beneficiaries.
• Prepare statistics of Silk thread and fabric produced in the region.

SCOPE OF TASAR SERICULTURE EXPANSION IN JHARKHAND

As per the State Industrial Policy 2001, numerous benefits/ incentives provided to entrepreneurs involved in post-cocoon activities like yarn and fabric production.

• Employment generation based incentives.
• Reduced stamp duty and registration on purchase / acquisition of land and building.
• Feasibility study - Project report cost reimbursement subsidy.
• Capital investment incentive.
• Pollution control equipment subsidy.
• Interest subsidy.
• Commercial tax benefits

RURAL INDUSTRIES

This sector has immense export potential which needs to be exploited to earn foreign exchange. To give thrust, the government aims to provide benefits in the following areas:

HANDLOOM

• Provides employment to around 1.5 lakh weavers in the state.
• Numerous incentives to handloom weavers given under Deendayal Hastkargha Protsahan Yojana. These include :
  • Providing looms and accessories
  • Product development
  • Infrastructure support
  • Institutional support
  • Training to weavers
  • Supply of equipment
  • Marketing support

HANDICRAFTS

• Measures to Boost growth:
  • Specialized training
  • Design development
  • Raw material support
  • Marketing assistance
  • Improved tools
  • Technological improvement
  • Bank finance
• Boost manufacture of sophisticated and intricate handicrafts in cane and bamboo work, wood carving, stone ware, brass ware, lac based handicrafts, terracotta, etc.
• Provide a marketing platform for rural artisans through Handicraft village and Craft Melas.

KHADI AND VILLAGE INDUSTRIES

• High priority accorded to this sector so as to promote a self-reliant rural economy.
• Government setting up a KVI Board to provide training, financing and marketing support
• Government setting up a Bamboo Research Institute.

FOREST BASED INDUSTRY

• Various forest produce available in the state are mahua seed, sal seed, shellac, bamboo, kendu leaf, harre, bahera, etc.
• The state government plans to encourage R&D to increase use of such forest produce so as to boost this sector

INDUSTRIES BASED ON MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC PLANTS

• With the availability of most of the medicinal plants and herbs, good scope for investment is there in this area. 22 out of 26 medicinal plants and herbs are available in Jharkhand.