Textile Ministry to give Rs 1,000 crore financial aid for sericulture for Jharkhand

RANCHI: The Textile Ministry would give Rs 1,000 crore to Jharkhand for developing sericulture to explore large scale livelihood promotion for the rural poor, Textile Minister K Sambasiva Rao said today.

"I would urge Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh to sanction Rs 1,000 crore and my department will give Rs 1,000 to help Jharkhand's endeavour to develop sericulture," Rao said here.

Referring to the details on the progress of sericulture and investment requirement of Rs 3,000 crore provided by Jharkhand Sericulture Director Dhirendra Kumar, the Union Minister requested Chief Minister Hemant Soren to "deeply study" sericulture prospect in Jharkhand which would enable the state to become a "path-finder" for other states.

"It's a good beginning to promote sericulture. It will generate employment opportunities. And if it succeeds, then Jharkhand would be the path-finder for other states in the country in the field of sericulture," Rao said.

Saying that people in rural areas could be connected through projects in sericulture, rubber and cashew nuts, he said with an investment of Rs 3,000 crore in sericulture, Jharkhand could earn Rs 16,000 in the next four years, "making the world sit up and take notice of the achievement."

"I have seen the spark and glow among people in rural Jharkhand. Textile industry can expand in the state by involving them," Rao said.

Both Ramesh and Soren were present at the workshop, organised by Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society under the aegis of Union Rural Development Department.