Silchar, Dec. 3: Mizoram chief minister Lal Thanhawla launched the integrated muga silk development project (IMSDP), under the aegis of the Centre's North East Region Textiles Promotion scheme (NERTPS), in Aizawl yesterday to boost the production of muga silk cocoons.
The project's launch was also marked with Silk Couture, a fashion show, to promote silk where three local designers - Lucy Sailo, Charlie Mathlena and Laltanpuii - showcased their collections with traditional Mizo motifs and designs on silk fabrics.
Lal Thanhawla said Assam, which had long earned the distinction of being one of the major centres of muga silk production, faced the onslaught of global warming through unpredictable rainfall pattern, increased temperature and incessant rains that hampered the state's production of prized muga silk cocoons.
"A pilot study, conducted in 2012 and 2013 in the high-altitude regions of Mizoram, Nagaland and other Himalayan states, showed promising results for muga silkworm rearing in summer because of which muga and other silkworm varieties are now being reared on a big scale under NERTPS funding," he added. "The state's new land use policy has provided financial and technical support to a large section of sericulture farmers."
Stating that the impact of global warming could be a blessing in disguise for sericulture farmers of Mizoram, Lal Thanhawla said global warming and climate change are not merely academic discourses but real challenges that affect long-term survival. He urged the farmers to make the maximum use of NERTPS and make Mizoram a new destination for silk for which the government would provide all necessary support.
Under NERTPS, the sericulture department is implementing two major projects - integrated sericulture development project at a financial outlay of Rs 3,249.2 lakh, targeting 600 beneficiaries and intensive bivoltine sericulture development project at an outlay of Rs 3,014.16 lakh, targeting 1,000 beneficiaries.
For IMSDP, the financial outlay will be Rs 1,352.09 lakh. It is expected to cover 500 sericulture farmers. Under NLUP and other schemes, 2,954 farmers have been provided financial and technical support.
