On Road To Ten-Fold Increase In Muga Production: Ranjit Dutta

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: The Directorate of Sericulture, Assam is planning to bring all sericulture farms in the State under the geo-tagging system so that their activities can be monitored from its office at Khanapara, Guwahati.

Talking to The Sentinel, State Handloom, Textile and Sericulture Minister Ranjit Dutta gave this information, and said, “The department is on the road to success in its mission for ten-fold increase in muga production in the State in ten years. In 2018-19 we’ve produced 194 metric tonnes of muga against 156 metric tonnes in 2017-18.”

The department took up the ambitious muga mission in 2016-17 for ten-fold increase in muga production in the State in ten years. “Rs 100 crore was allocated for the mission in 2017-18 and Rs 10 crore in 2018-19. Under the mission, Assam Silk Outreach Mission (ASOM) Societies were formed under the State-Owned Priority Development-Other Development Scheme (SOPD-ODS). In phase 1, the mission released Rs 36 crore. The State has over 336 sericulture farms. With the funds received, we’re developing the infrastructure of 70 farms. Around 90 per cent of the works is over with an expenditure of Rs 22 crore. By October this year, we’re going to plant six lakh som (Persea bombycina) saplings in 85 of the 102 muga farms in the State for muga worms to feed on. The plantation drive is to cost Rs 7 crore. The area to be covered under the plantation is 1,188 acres. The plantation is going to start after the Durga Puja,” the minister said.

Dutta further said: “We also have a scheme for planting som saplings in private muga farms in the State. Applications have been sought from district-level muga farms. The district-level muga mission societies select district farms for getting funds under the scheme.”

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