BHUBANESWAR: The Centre has implemented two special projects for development of tussar silk in Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar districts to support poor and socially backward Scheduled Caste and tribal families for upliftment of their socio economic conditions, informed Union Minister for Textiles Smriti Zubin Irani in Rajya Sabha on Thursday.
Replying to an unstarred question by MP Sasmit Patra, Irani said Mahila Kisan Sashktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP) is being implemented in Odisha to create sustainable livelihood for the marginalised households, especially women. “The State has received Rs 4.53 crore under Central sector scheme Silk Samagra during the last four years,” she said.
While one power loom service centre under the direct control of Textiles Ministry is operating at Cuttack to provide various services like testing, training, troubleshooting, design and development besides enrolling power loom weavers and workers under group insurance scheme, several steps have been taken to develop handloom sector in the State.
She said that 15 block-level handloom clusters have been sanctioned and Rs 9.09 crore has been released involving 11,016 beneficiaries. Marketing incentives to the tune of Rs 15.55 crore have been provided involving 1,12,768 beneficiaries.
Similarly, Rs 2.5 crore has been released for 20 marketing events involving 37,000 beneficiaries and as many as 2,876 beneficiaries have been disbursed loan worth Rs 9.39 crore, she said.
On steps taken to encourage growth of textiles in Odisha, which are facing competition from cheaper, machine-made textiles that are being imported, Irani said handloom products of the State have been registered under Geographical Indication (GI) framework in order to prevent imitation.
“Kotpad handloom fabric, Khandua saree and fabric, Sambalpuri Bandha saree and fabric, Bomkai saree and fabric, Odisha Ikat, Behrampur Patta saree and jada, Habaspuri saree and fabric, Dhalapathar parda and fabric and Gopalpur tussar fabric have been GI tagged,” she said.
Besides, 17.07 lakh kg of yarn worth Rs 138.42 crore has been supplied at mill gate price and 12.56 lakh kg of yarn worth Rs 107.21 crore has been supplied under 10 per cent subsidy component of yarn supply scheme, she added.