The government has prepared a road map to promote and revive century-old Bhagalpur silk units and has assigned the divisional commissioner and Bhagalpur and Banka district magistrates to help set them up.

A Silk Bhavan will be established in Bhagalpur and cocoon bank in Banka.

Divisional commissioner of Bhagalpur Ajay Kumar Choudhary said a meeting was held between principal secretary, industries, S. Siddharth, and officers from the districts on September 16. He said efforts will be made to revive the Bihar silk and textile institute (sericulture institute), in Nathnagar, which has not had students for over a decade.

"Classes for a BTech degree and diploma in silk and sericulture will be restored," Choudhary said.

On the government's push to revive the silk industry, he emphasised the need for an integrated programme from the ground level indigenous silk yarn manufacturer/weaver to the marketing of silk products in global markets.

The government has agreed to set up the Silk Bhavan in Bhagalpur city at an estimated cost of Rs 10 crore. Central and state government offices related to the sale and export of silk will help establish it and the emporiums inside it.

Wasim Ahmad, a silk exporter, said: "The indigenous silk industry was destroyed in the Bhagalpur riots of 1989. Bhagalpur silk was replaced with Chinese-Korean yarn in the markets and the district began producing silk items with the imported yarn. If the government implements this plan, Bhagalpur's silk industry will regain its glory."