Platinum Jubilee Celebration of Central Silk Board: Our Export Output has Increased from 41 lakh to 2800 Crore, Says Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy

“During its remarkable journey of 7.5 decades, the Central Silk Board has made significant contributions to promoting the silk industry in the country.” Stated Giriraj Singh, Minister of Textiles Government of India at the function paying rich tribute to the first chairman of Silk Board and visionary Dr Shyama Parsad Mukherjee and Platinum Jubilee ceremony of the Central Silk Board in Mysuru Convocation Hall of Karnataka State Open University (KSOU).

Central Silk Board on completing 75 years of establishment & dedicated service to the millions of sericulture stakeholders through its 159 units across India proudly celebrated its Platinum Jubilee.

On the occasion, Gajendra Singh the Minister expressed happiness over India becoming the second-largest silk-producing nation in the world and called upon the country's silk farmers and scientists to work together to make India the leading silk-producing country globally. He further mentioned that the Central Silk Board is popularizing the "Silk Mark" through the Silk Mark Organization to ensure the purity of silk products. The concept of "Silk Mark" for identifying genuine silk is the first of its kind in the world. All these essential activities of the Central Silk Board are currently being carried out by 159 units of the Board located in different states, including 9 main research institutes. Several steps have been taken for crop diversification, and value addition by-product utilization in the silk Industry towards achieving a premier position for India in silk production globally, he added. He emphasizes on development of a Common Facility Centre for better marketing and avoiding the involvement of any middlemen so that sericulture farmers fetched the best price for their products. He urges state Governments to come forward and join hands with the Ministry of Textiles.

Special guest Hon’ble Shri H.D. Kumaraswamy, Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Steel, expressed satisfaction that sericulture is now being practiced in other parts of the country besides Southern India. He appreciated the R&D contribution of the Central Silk Board by developing new technologies, new silkworm hybrids and mulberry varieties through 7.5 decades to develop the silk industry. He said, “Our export output has increased from 41 lakh to 2800 crore.” He applauded farmers of North Eastern India for taking up sericulture practices in a big way, especially Eri silk. He also lauded the role of Karnataka state in the silk production of the country by contributing about 42% and hoped that it would increase further in the days to come.

Also, present on occasion was the Guest of Honor Pabitra Margherita, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Textiles, Government of India; K. Venkatesh, Minister of Animal Husbandry and Sericulture, Government of Karnataka;  Yaduveer Krishna Datta Chamaraja Wadiyar, MP, Mysuru; Dr. K. Sudhakar, MP, Chikkaballapur and Member Central Silk Board; Narayana Koragappa, MP, Rajya Sabha, Karnataka and Member, Central Silk Board; G.T. Deve Gowda, Chamundeshwari Assembly, Mysuru. At the Platinum Jubilee ceremony, heads of sericulture production departments from state governments across the country, policymakers and planners, scientists, technical experts, and stakeholders from 26 states and union territories participated in the event.