BHUBANESWAR: Union minister for Textiles Giriraj Singh on Tuesday said the Centre has decided to announce Odisha as a tussar silk state with focus on development and welfare of silk producers and weavers.
Of around 132 tonne of silk produced in the country, tussar accounted for around 131 tonne and a significant share of it comes from Odisha. As many as 29 out of 30 districts are involved in handicraft works and the state has 3.5 lakh artisans and handloom weavers.
“The Textile Ministry has already discussed with the chief secretary for announcing Odisha as tussar silk state. It will help the state produce the maximum quantity of tussar so that India can become the largest silk producer in the world,” he told mediapersons here.
Singh said the Centre in collaboration with the state government and the national silk board will develop Odisha as a hub for silk production. The state will select one district for the development of the textile sector with proper market linkage.
“The district will also be linked to tourism and promoted as a place of attraction. This initiative will help weavers earn at least `20,000 to `25,000 per month besides promoting tourism in the area. The government will work on mission mode to achieve the target,” he said. Discussing the Union Budget, Singh said the size of the annual budget has been enhanced from `16 lakh crore in 2014 to `51 lakh crore in 2025-26.
“Odisha will benefit significantly from the budget, which is a step forward to realise the vision of a futuristic India. The allocations for railways, highways and port infrastructure have increased substantially. This budget is a report card of the Modi government’s 10 years at the Centre,” he said.
The minister said cancer has emerged as a major public health crisis in states like Bihar, West Bengal and Odisha. Day care centres will be set up at district headquarters hospital for free treatment of cancer patients, he said.
“The Centre has decided to identify 120 new destinations to introduce air connectivity in the coming days. At least five new airports are likely to come up in Sambalpur, Dhenkanal, Mayurbhanj, Ganjam and Keonjhar districts,” he informed.
State Revenue minister Suresh Pujari, BJP state president Manmohan Samal and former president Samir Mohanty also spoke.