The Bhagalpur of Bihar is famous worldwide for its distinctive type of tasar silk and coarse varieties of silk fabrics.

 The silk handloom weavers of Bhagalpur are facing stiff competition from power loom and mill sector due to high input cost, low productivity and availability of cheaper imported silk fabric etc. sluggish export market  and capturing of export market by other major silk producing countries like china in the recent past has also affected Bhagalpur silk industry.

To protect and promote the Sericulture industry/activities in Bhagalpur, the Government through Central Silk Board has taken following remedial measures mainly for development of tasar silk industry:-

 Basic Seed Multiplication and Training Centre (BSM&TC) for production and supply of superior quality basic tasar seeds to the State Government units, for further multiplication and supply of silkworm seeds to the tasar reares.

i)               Demonstration-Cum-Technical Service Centre (DCTSC) for demonstration of improved technologies to reelers and weavers and to provide required training to the beneficiaries.

ii)             Sub-Unit of Tasar Raw Material Bank (TRMB) for providing local market support for the producers of tasar cocoons by providing a remunerative price for their produce.

The Government of India through Central Silk Board is also implementing Catalytic Development Programme (CDP) in coordination with the Govt. of Bihar, to provide support for development of host plantation, construction of Rearing houses/CRCs/Cocoon storage houses, assistance to Tasar Seed production, support for state Department for strengthening of Eri Farm-cum-Grainages, rearing appliances, establishment of improved cottage basin reeling units, support for hot air driers etc. Under Quality Certification System (QCS) scheme, the Silk Mark Organisation of India (SMOI) organises structured and well planned Silk Mark Expos in various cities across the country regularly and provides a platform to weavers, traders and exporters to showcase and sell their silk products including sarees. Weavers and Exporters from Bhagalpur region also participate in these expos in a big way and get benefited. 

For holistic and sustainable development of handloom sector including weavers of Bhagalpur, the Ministry of Textiles, through various schemes and programmes, facilitates marketing of handloom products, infrastructure development, brand building, training and skill upgradation, infusion of new and contemporary designs through design intervention as well as product diversification, technology upgradation, easy access to raw material at subsidized prices and easy credit flow at low interest rate etc. besides providing better health care and life insurance under welfare schemes.

One big handloom cluster, covering 5000 looms and 5 small clusters, covering 300-500 looms, have been sanctioned for Bhagalpur weavers. One Mega Handloom Cluster has also been approved in the budget of 2014-15 for Bhagalpur. Further, Government has setup one Weavers Service Centre at Bhagalpur for providing various services such as skill upgradation, design and product development etc.

The information was given by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) in the Ministry of Textiles Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

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DS