Technical Up-gradation Program organized for cocoon producers of Jammu division

JAMMU, JANUARY 30: A one day Technical Up-gradation Program entitled Schemes for development of silk industry was today organized for cocoon producers, reelers and weavers of Jammu division.

The session was hosted by Silk Technical Service Center, CSTRI, Central Silk Board, Miran Sahib, in coordination with J&K Sericulture Development Department, Jammu.

More than 100 entrepreneurs, realers, weavers, artisans, SDD, CSB officials of the state and center offices participated in the technical up-gradation program.

N. S. Gahlot Scientist-D/Zonal Officer STSC, CSTRI Central Silk Board welcomed all the participants present in the program.

The Technical Upgradation Programme was inaugurated by Chief Guest Dr. Vikas Gupta, Director, Handicraft and Handloom, Jammu Division in presence of Special Guest Dr. Rakesh Vaid, Director University of Jammu and Guest of Honour Ashwani Kumar Sharma, Additional Director, Sericulture Development Department (SDD), besides N. S. Gahlot Scientist/Zonal officer, Central Silk Board, Jammu, District Sericulture officer and other dignitaries. The Guests visited the museum and inspected the exhibit stall of silk products at the programme centre.

N. S. Gahlot Scientist, Silk Technical Service Center (STSC), Miran Sahib, Jammu, while addressing the participants, said that the Board is working constantly to make India self-sufficient in silk production through Silk Samagra Scheme-II. “There has been a lot of improvement in silk cocoon quality and yarns. Now our focus is to develop diversified products by connecting the silk industry with handloom weavers and artisans,” he added.

The scientist presented a power-point presentation and said that handloom weavers of Jammu division can make maximum profit by converting cocoons to silk yarn and its blends like silk-wool, silk-cotton on their handlooms. He said that latest handlooms, Jacquard, warping, computer aided design, various reeling machines, dyeing and finishing machines are available on 80 % subsidy basis as Jammu & Kashmir  falls under special UT/state status.

 He informed that it is a golden opportunity to make value-added diversified products which will fetch huge profit in view of huge market demand.  Gahlot urged cocoon producers, silk traders, weavers and artisans of Jammu division to come forward so that efforts can be made to make the latest style clothes/craft items.

Information about the silk Samagra-II schemes including silk mark was given by SK Tickoo through an video-audio presentation. He further informed about  computerised textile design (CATD) for preparing multi –design products from the silk yarn  in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Chief Guest Dr. Vikas Gupta- Director, Handicraft and Handloom said that about 4-5 thousand people have been trained in the last two years. The Director said that there are about 150 handicrafts training centers and more than 50 handloom centers operating in  ten districts of Jammu Division. The scientists of the silk technical service center Jammu and their technical teams are cooperating in handloom development work.  

Special guest Dr. Rakesh Vaid, Director Poonch Campus, University of Jammu appreciated the efforts of Silk Technical Service Center, Central Silk Board Jammu and emphasized on various testing services, training programmes, schemes of Central Govt. for students and industry beneficiaries. He said that it is a good initiative for the development of silk farmers, entrepreneurs and artisans.

Kulbir Singh, Research Officer SDD Jammu highlighted Sericulture potential for producing bivoltine cocoons and future scope for farmers and reelers.

Ashwani Kumar Sharma, Guest of Honour and Additional Director, Sericulture Development Department (SDD), Jammu called for encouraging the people to take benefit of the different schemes under HADP and Silk Samagra-II. He also suggested that a skill development programme for use of defective/waste cocoons may be taken-up with the assistance of Central Silk Board at district level.

   Dr. Shavi Deputy Director, training incharge H&H, Satish Thaploo, Project Officer, Jammu and Kashmir Industries, and his team, HL Raina STA, Senior staff of Central Silk Board, Subas Chander, BD Maandi, Fida Husain Qadri, Jagdish Raj, Sandeep Tickoo and Pramila Kumari Sr TA.,  Representative of reelers Rajni Gupta, Usha Anand, President women’s NGO and other Central Government and State Government officials including Silk Industry, silk Udhami, businessmen, weaver representatives were present