SHILLONG: Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Tuesday launched The Meghalaya Muga Silk Mission at the State Convention Centre under which the Department of Textiles will provide an investment of Rs 138 crore over a period of five years which is set to benefit 1,350 farmers in the state.
Speaking at the function, Agricultural Production Commissioner, KN Kumar said India produces 158 MT of muga silk out of which the state produces 30 MT.
Highlighting a major drawback for Meghalaya, he said the cocoons produced by farmers go to Assam through middlemen driving the Meghalaya farmers to lead a life of subsistence while middlemen continue to make profits.
He added there has been no significant public investment and there is a great loss of opportunity for farmers.
Assam is thriving by leaps-and-bounds with the raw cocoons produced from Meghalaya while the latter is not benefitting since it stops at production of cocoon.
“Assam is a global market and the muga raw silk has been taken to Assam for value addition while the risks of rearing are completely absorbed by Meghalaya farmers,” Kumar said adding that the state lacks the skill, infrastructure and technology to go ahead with silk production.
Under the Silk Mission, the focus will be on the area of expansion and to develop critical infrastructure for muga silk and platform to train human capital.
With Meghalaya stopping only at cocoon production, the Silk Mission will also have a thrust on the post-cocoon activities. As part of the mission, 34 blocks in the state will be the focus areas since such places are suitable for Muga silkworm farming.
Meanwhile, Sangma said that the production can be increased through area expansion as well as to lay a focus on value addition. He also said the department should go for the exercise of branding the muga silk.
“There should be a mini component of branding the muga silk. The department should do its homework on how to brand the Muga silk. Marketing experts should be called for the purpose,” he said, adding that the department should tie up with the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) to take the sector forward.
He said that with the launch of the Muga mission, muga silk production in the state would receive the much-needed leverage and direction with a funding of close to Rs 138 crore from multiple sources over a five-year period.
With the government coming up with many missions relating to agriculture and horticulture, dairy farming, he said the government felt that the primary sector should be strengthened, though not necessarily with massive investment but success follows with the right policies.
He added that the mission mode of the government is to ensure that there is a time– bound mechanism to achieve the goals set for each mission.
