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from cotton like edible oil and animal
feed from the seed.
Under Powertex India, 4,797 looms
have been upgraded under the in-situ
Upgradation Scheme for Plain Power-
loom and 44.98 crores have been re-
leased. In the Group Workshed Scheme
141 projects have been approved and
7.64 crores have been released. In the
Yarn Bank Scheme 8 projects have been
approved and 5.27 crores have been re-
leased. 12 Buyers Seller Meet organized
at a cost of 1.35 crores. Nineteen Power-
loom Service Centres have been set up at
a cost of 4.58 crores.
or the development of the Indian related to Jute Cultivation for Quality & ter Development Scheme (CHCDS) is
silk industry patents have been ob- Quantity improvements. In order to fa- targeted at development of Mega Han-
F tained for 5 technology packages, cilitate modernization and up-gradation dloom Clusters covering at least 15000
50 research projects have been conclud- of technology in existing/ new jute mills handlooms with the Government of
ed and 55 technology packages dissemi- and JDP units an incentive Scheme for India contributing up to 40 crores per
nated. 13885 persons have been trained Acquisition of Select Machinery (ISAPM) cluster over a period of 5 years. Eight
under various programmes organized has been launched. Mega Handloom Clusters viz. Varanasi
by the Research & Training institutes of To support jute entrepreneurs to dis- (Uttar Pradesh), Sivasagar (Assam), Vir-
Central Silk Board (CSB). play and promote jute diversified prod- udhunagar (Tamil Nadu), Murshidabad
The total raw silk production has in- ucts through retail outlets in Metro cities, (West Bengal), Prakasam and Guntur
creased by 11 per cent (35,468 MT) during State Capitals and tourist places Retail districts (Andhra Pradesh), Godda and
2018-19 over the previous year 2017-18 Outlet of Jute Diversified Products and neighbouring districts (Jharkhand),
(31,906 MT). The bivoltine raw silk pro- Bulk Supply Scheme has been put in Bhagalpur (Bihar) and Trichy (Tamil
duction achieved a record production of place. To promote the Indian Jute Indus- Nadu) have been taken up for develop-
6,987 MT during 2018-19 by registering try, the Government has set up the Indi- ment. Under the CHCDS, around 1.75
18.95 per cent growth over previous year. an Jute Industries’ Research Association lakh handloom weavers have been cov-
Raw silk yield per hectare has increased (IJIRA). A variety of research activities has ered for which 131.91 crores has been
to 105 kg during 2018-19 compared to 96 been undertaken by IJIRA for enabling released for various interventions dur-
kg during 2014-15. The Textiles Ministry faster retting of jute plant, softening of ing the last four financial years and the
has taken various steps through the Cen- hard root cuttings of jute and eco-friend- current financial year.
tral Silk Board (CSB) to protect the inter- ly oil-free processing of jute. Under the National Handloom De-
est of the silk producers. The Comprehensive Handloom Clus- velopment Programme (NHDP), based
The ministry has also laid focus on the on the viable proposals received from
jute industry which occupies an impor- the State Governments, 294 Block Level
tant place in the economy of India and is The Government is Clusters (BLCs) have been sanctioned
one of the major industries in the east- implementing the SITP in the country covering around 1.6 lakh
ern region, particularly in West Bengal. handloom weavers for which 165.99
Jute, the golden fibre, meets all the stand- that provides support for crore has been released for various in-
ards for safe packaging in view of be- creation of world-class terventions during the last four finan-
ing a natural, renewable, biodegradable cial years and the current financial year.
and eco-friendly product. It is estimated infrastructure facilities for Under the MUDRA scheme loans were
that the jute industry provides direct setting up of textile units, sanctioned to 35952 weavers with a total
employment to 0.37 million workers in disbursement of 181.68 crore. 8611 han-
organized mill and diversified units and with a state grant of dloom workers have been provided skill
supports the livelihood of 4 million farm upgradation training. 7417 Hathkargha
families. For the welfare of jute farmers up to 40% of the project Samvardhan Sahayata (HSS) items have
the JUTE – ICARE (Improved Cultivation cost subject to a ceiling been distributed to 7285 beneficiaries.
and Advanced Retting Exercise) has been
launched to promote scientific practices of 40 crores LETTERS@TEHELKA.COM

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