The raw silk production in the country stayed at 34,042 metric tonnes (MT) till January 2025, registering an uptick, Pabitra Margherita the Minister of State (MoS) for Textile said in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha. According to the data provided by the MoS, in last ten years, the raw silk production in the country has witnessed an uptick of 9,743 metric tonnes.

The raw silk production in the country has increased due to interventions by way of Central schemes viz. Catalytic Development Programme (CDP), North East Region Textile Promotion Scheme (NERTPS), Integrated Scheme for Development of Silk Industry (ISDSI), Silk Samagra and Silk Samagra-2.

The projected employment generation estimated in silk sector as per raw silk production till January-2025 is 80.90 lakh persons, with direct employment of 71.2 lakh persons and indirect employment of 9.7 lakh persons.

The establishment and functioning of 109 numbers of Automatic Reeling Machines (AMRs) in the country has increased the production of international grade (3A and 4A) quality silk in the country.

Replying to the question on March 26, the MoS had said that the government through Central Silk Board has been implementing Silk Samagra-2 scheme with an outlay of Rs 4,679.85 crore for the overall development of sericulture industry in the country from the year 2021-22 to 2025-26.

Under the scheme, financial assistance is provided to states towards implementation of various beneficiary oriented field level critical interventions, which includes raising of kissan nurseries, silkworm rearing packages (includes assistance for plantation, irrigation, rearing house, rearing equipment and prophylactic measures), establishment of chawki rearing centres in pre-cocoon sector, support and infrastructure oriented interventions for silkworm seed sector, silk reeling, spinning, weaving, processing components meant for post cocoon sector.

So far, the Central assistance of Rs 1,075.58 crore has been provide to States to cover around 78,000 beneficiaries under Silk Samagra-2 scheme towards implementation of beneficiary-oriented components covering both pre & post cocoon activities/machineries for the growth and sustainability of sericulture sector.

Additionally, through research and development activities, the production and productivity of silk has been improved to achieve the goal of Aatmanirbhar Bharat in silk sector, as per the MoS.