Post News Network
Dhenkikote, Jan 19: Silk cultivation is expected to receive a major boost in mineral-rich Keonjhar district, as a team from the Central Silk Board (CSB), a statutory body under the Union ministry of textiles, visited various pockets in the district recently and assured farmers of all help and insurance coverage.
The Central team comprised member secretary of CSB, H Nageswar Prabhu, deputy secretary (Bangalore) Ramesh Chandra Das, deputy secretary of the regional silk office Girish Chandra Ray, advisor to the ministry of textiles (New Delhi) Dhiren Kumar, coordinator of directorate of textiles and handloom Dr Rabi Siching along with deputy director of Keonjhar regional silk unit Lucia Lakra, assistant director Ramesh Chandra Mohapatra and secretary of Tarini and Patana cooperative society Dinabandhu Singhdeo.
The team, accompanied by silk growers visited several plantation sites under Ghatagaon, Patana and Harichandanpur blocks. The members met scores of farmers and leant the techniques the latter adopt to grow plants on which silkworms live on. They also inspected the methods used to extract thread from silk cocoons and spin yarns.
The team assured the farmers of providing technical knowhow to increase yield of cocoons and yarns.
The team also learnt that, in most cases, silk farmers have to suffer losses when silkworms die of various diseases, leading to low production of cocoons. The officials said steps will be taken to ensure insurance coverage of silk farmers. They also took note of a host of problems cited by the farmers.
Farmers are enthused after being assured by the team of insurance coverage. They hope the Union government takes steps to ensure increase in silk production and prevention of loss in case of damages induced by cyclones and diseases to silkworms. PNN
