Bhubaneswar, Sept. 10: The state government has taken steps to increase silk production for speedy growth of the handloom sector.

The handlooms and textiles department has also inaugurated a tussar seed station at Chandua in Mayurbhanj for Rs 1 crore that will benefit more than 600 farmers.

Odisha is a leader in tussar silk production, and the project will help to fill up the demand-supply gap in the country. "We are not able to produce silk, according to the demands of the weavers of our state. There is also a requirement in other states. So, there is a need to increase production that would not only generate revenue, but also provide livelihood to people, who are involved in silk farming," said the department's joint secretary Raja Parija.

Around five such units would shortly be set up in other parts of the state. At the inauguration of the Chandua unit yesterday, handlooms and textiles minister Snehangini Chhuria addressed the farmers about various benefits that the government had made available for them.

Plans are also on to start sericulture in a number of places. At present, sericulture is done over 12,000 hectares. A target has been set to produce silk from 20,000 hectares by the next five years.

"A number of forest areas in the state fall under the prohibited zone for conservation purposes. Somewhere down the line, it has led to the decrease in silk production. But, there are a lot of wastelands, and we would begin sericulture in those areas," said Parija.

The field officers have been instructed to identify lands for the same. "We have asked the officers to find land with favourable climatic conditions for sericulture. Thereafter, they would associate with the forest officials and start planting the Arjun and Asana trees," said Parija.