The Government has set a production target of 32,000 tonnes of raw silk, including 5,000 tonnes of superior quality of bivoltine raw silk, during the 12th Plan period, according to the Textiles Minister, Mr. Kavuri Sambasiva Rao.
He told newsmen that employment generation, both direct and indirect, would be around 9.27 million by the terminal year of the 12th Plan period. With a view to improving the living standards of stakeholders in the sericulture industry, increasing the income of the rural poor as also to boosting production of raw silk in the country, an additional area of 59,000 hectares of mulberry is proposed to be raised during the Plan period.
He said that in order to achieve the targets in the 12th Plan, the Central Silk Board would integrate the present Catalytic Development Programme and focus on the cluster approach to improve the quality of cacoon and silk.
As many as 100 bivoltine silk production clusters are proposed to be developed, which would be linked to R&D institutes and regional sericulture research stations.
On shortage of trained workforce, the Minister said the issue would be addressed in consultation with the State Government for providing entrepreneurs necessary assistance for in-house training of manpower.
He also urged the industry to build brand equity for Indian textiles in the world market.