GUWAHATI, April 29: The State Level Empowered Committee (SLEC) to the Ministry of DoNER has recommended a Rs 59.83-crore project to brand Muga silk (also known as golden silk) as the unique selling proposition (USP) of Assam.
The project will be implemented over three years across four districts – Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh and Tinsukia – covering around 14,371 Muga farming families (about 44 percent of the state’s total).
The funding structure of the project includes Rs 35.83 crore from the Ministry of DoNER, Rs 14.20 crore from the Ministry of Textiles, and Rs 9.49 crore from the Assam government.
A meeting of the SLEC, chaired by Assam chief secretary Ravi Kota, was held here on Wednesday to review the proposals related to key projects under NEC-FDC (Focussed Development Component) and PM-DeVINE (Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East Region), with a focus on leveraging Assam’s strengths for sustainable economic growth.
The initiative aims to position Assam’s GI-tagged Muga silk under the unified “Senehjori” brand by strengthening the entire value chain- from production to global market access.
“Key interventions include strengthening seed and host plant management, climate-resilient rearing, formation of farmer interest groups and farmer producer organisations, establishment of muga aggregation centres, and setting up of a muga spun mill at Dhemaji for value addition from silk waste,” the chief secretary said.
The project also focuses on technology upgrades in reeling and weaving, product diversification, apparel manufacturing, branding, digital commerce, startup support, and a digital MIS for improved monitoring and traceability.
“Emphasis was laid on value addition, structured aggregation, and improved market linkages to enhance income for farmers, reelers and weavers,” Kota said.
The chief secretary further informed that the significant potential of Muga silk as both a cultural symbol and a sustainable economic driver, particularly for rural livelihoods and women artisans was highlighted during the meeting.
“Emphasis was laid on convergence with institutions such as ASRLM and NABARD, along with the need for structured implementation and stronger market integration,” he said.
The SLEC also reviewed PM-DeVINE projects, including the Maa Kamakhya Access Corridor in Guwahati and a medical college in Sivasagar, and directed expeditious implementation of the Kamakhya Corridor project.
The committee further considered select change-of-scope proposals under NEC projects to facilitate effective execution.
