Why in News:

• Bengaluru has become the first Indian city to get into the global network of silk cities.

About the global network of silk cities

• The network spans nine nations and thirteen cities.
• The Network assists artisans and craftsmen in exchanging information, establishing trade relationships, and learning about various crafting skills.
• Silk Cities aims to combine existing knowledge and know-how in these nations with high-profile, up-to-date worldwide research in order to bridge the gap between theory and practise.
• These encounters will increase public awareness of current concerns and encourage people to look for solutions.

What are the other locations under consideration?

• The Murshidabad area of West Bengal, which has been producing quality silk for over 300 years, may join the Global Silk City Network in the future.
• The history of silk weaving in Murshidabad goes back to the early eighteenth century during the Mughal rule, when the Nawab of Bengal, Murshidkuli Khan, shifted his capital from Dhaka to a town on the east of the Bhagirathi river, and named it Murshidabad.

Silk In India 

• India has a rich and complex history in silk production and its silk trade which dates back to the 15th century.
• Sericulture industry provides employment to approximately 8.7 million persons in rural and semi-urban areas in India.
• India has the unique distinction of being the only country producing all the five known commercial silks, namely, mulberry, tropical tasar, oak tasar, eri and muga, of which muga with its golden yellow glitter is unique and prerogative of India.
• North East has the unique distinction of being the only region producing four varieties of silk viz., Mulberry, Oak Tasar, Muga and Eri. Overall North Eastern region contributes 18% of India’s total silk production.
• India is the second largest producer of silk in the world and also the largest consumer of silk in the world. Among the four varieties of silk produced in 2020-21, Mulberry accounted for 70.72% (23,860 MT)

Geographical Indications of Indian silk

1. Baluchari Saree – West Bengal
2. Salem Silk – Tamil Nadu
3. Arani Silk – Tamil Nadu
4. Molakalmuru Sarees – Karnataka
5. Ilkal Sarees – Karnataka
6. Muga Silk – Assam
7. Orissa Ikat – Odisha
8. Kancheepuram Silk – Tamil nadu
9. Mysore Silk – Karnataka
10. Chanderi Fabric – Madya Pradesh

Policy initiatives taken for the development of silk industry

Sericulture is the functional area under the Ministry of Textiles. Some of the recent policy initiatives taken by the Ministry to promote sericulture are as follows.

• National Silk Policy 2020

• Sericulture is included as agriculture allied activity under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana. This enables the sericulturists to avail the benefits of the scheme for the entire sericulture activities up to reeling.
• Forest Conservation Act has been amended to treat non mulberry sericulture as forest based activity enabling the farmers to undertake Vanya silkworm rearing in the natural host plantation in the forests.
• Anti dumping duty on Chinese raw silk

Related Information

• The Central Silk Board is a statutory body which functions under the administrative control of the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India.

Mission

• Make continuous efforts in Research and Development and Technology Transfer
• To create greater opportunities for gainful employment and improved levels of income in sericulture through spread of scientific sericulture practices
• To improve productivity in all stages of silk production
• Strengthen levels of efficiency through a commitment to quality.

References:

1. https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/bengaluru-joins-global-network-of-silk-cities/article65308707.ece
2. https://vikaspedia.in/agriculture/farm-based-enterprises/sericulture/sericulture-in-india