Work on to build database of 1.29L engaged in sericulture

KOLKATA: After fulfilling the promise to increase the annual financial assistance of farmers under the Krishak Bandhu scheme to Rs 10,000, the state government has initiated creation of a database of 1.29 lakh cultivators, reelers and entrepreneurs from sericulture sector to help them get financial assistance through the Direct Benefit of Transfer (DBT).

The sericulture sector has witnessed a massive development with a series of initiatives taken up by the Mamata Banerjee government in the past 10 years, besides bringing the Sericulture Directorate under the aegis of the state Agriculture department. The state government has allotted a budget of Rs 42 crore for the current fiscal for sericulture.

There are about 1.08 lakh farmers and silk reelers, who play the crucial role of supplying the basic raw material to the agro-based cottage industry.

The remaining beneficiaries out of 1.29 lakh people are the entrepreneurs, including some farmers, who utilise high-end and modern technologies to process raw silk.

Being the only state in the country to produce raw material for all four silk variants — Mulberry, Tasar, Eri and Muga — Bengal shares a good percentage of the raw material that gets imported to different parts of the country and even abroad.

Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, the state Agriculture minister, along with the department's Secretary Onkar Singh Meena held a high-level meeting at the office of the Directorate at Ganesh Chandra Avenue on Wednesday.

A detailed discussion was held to ensure an increase in the income of farmers in the sericulture sector.

It includes subsidised input support both for mulberry plants cultivation and silk worm rearing, supply of DFLs (eggs), subsidised supply of seeds, supply of rearing implements and support for building ideal rearing houses.

Chattopadhyay said: "The farmers in the sericulture sector get different financial assistance from the state government. I have directed the concerned officials to prepare a database of these farmers so that the benefits can be directly transferred to their respective bank accounts. The main target is to ensure quick disposal of the financial assistance that will help them to increase their income".

Steps have also been taken up to provide a better irrigation system along with training facilities, technological upgradation, marketing support and setting up of cluster based reeling units.

The Muga variety is produced mainly in Cooch Behar, Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri while tussar is cultivated mainly in Jangalmahal districts. It is Murshidabad, Malda, Birbhum and Nadia where the Mulberry variety is produced.

Chattopadhyay also directed the officers of the West Bengal State Seed Corporation Limited (WBSSCL) to ensure better support to farmers and to scale up production of seeds mainly of the salt variant paddy as 1200 metric tonnes to be distributed in Cyclone Yaas-affected areas in East Midnapore, North and South 24-Parganas.