KVICP Open up Odisha’s First Silk Yarn Production Centre to Boost Local Silk Industry
Odisha has been famous for its silk, particularly the Tussar variety, which provides livelihood to thousands of tribal people, especially women. Nevertheless, the Silk weavers in the state had to rely on West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Karnataka for the Silk yarn, which increased the price of the Silk fabric.
KVIC’s Historic Initiative:
However, the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has set up Odisha’s first ever Tussar Silk Yarn Production Centre at Choudwar in Cuttack district. The Silk Yarn Production Center will ensure local availability of Tussar Silk yarn, provide local employment, and reduce the cost of silk production.
Tussar silk is an exquisite and soft fabric that is characterized by its coarseness and porous weave, which give it a rustic and rugged appearance. Vinai Kumar Saxena, chairman of KVIC, inaugurated the silk yarn production center on Friday.
Khadi fabric production in Odisha is dominated by Silk, which makes up nearly 75% of the total production. In addition to providing direct employment for 50 artisans, including 34 women, this silk yarn production center will also provide livelihood support to more than 300 tribal farmers.
Indirect employment will also be created for weavers and reelers in the state. Approximately 11 artisans are employed for every kilo of raw silk produced, six of whom are women.
In addition to this, there will be a reduction in the cost of making silk yarn locally, and this will boost the sale of Orissa’s famous Tussar Silk. In addition, it will strengthen the traditional craft of silk,” said Saxena.
The silk yarn production centre was constructed for Rs 75 lakh and is capable of producing 200 KG of silk yarn worth Rs 94 lakh annually.
The production capacity of this unit will be gradually increased to meet the increasing demand. This silk yarn production centre is equipped with advanced machinery like silk reeling machine, re-reeling machine, spinning machine and others.