The following points highlight the top ten activities of Central Silk Board (CSB). Some of the activities are: 1. General Development 2. Special Projects 3. Application of Remote Sensing and Geographical Information System (GIS) in Sericulture 4. International Collaboration 5. Training on Bivoltine Sericulture Technology under the 3rd Country Training Programme 6. Cluster Development Programme and Others.

Activities of Central Silk Board:

  1. General Development
  2. Special Projects
  3. Application of Remote Sensing and Geographical Information System (GIS) in Sericulture
  4. International Collaboration
  5. Training on Bivoltine Sericulture Technology under the 3rd Country Training Programme
  6. Cluster Development Programme
  7. Establishment of Automatic Reeling Units in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka
  8. Eri Spun Silk Mills at Andhra Pradesh and Assam
  9. Eri Silk Knitwear Products
  10. Policy Initiatives

Activity # 1. General Development:

(1) Designing and development of automatic conveyor cooking machine for medium scale reeling establishments.

(2) Designing and development in production of superior grade dupion silk.

(3) Designing and development of Eri spun yarn for product diversification.

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(4) Designing and development of improved silk handloom.

(5) Development of tasar reeling technology package to produce superior quality tasar silk, etc.

Activity # 2. Special Projects:

The Central Silk Board is implementing integra­ted sericulture development projects in different states in collaboration with the State Sericulture Departments and the NGOs as follows:

1. M/s. Arpitha Grameen Vikas Sansthan, Kanpur (Eri Project), UP.

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2. M/s. Appropriate Technology of India (ATI) Guptkashi. Rudraprayag Dist. (Uttarkhand).

3. M/s. Grameen Evam Krishi Vikas Samithi Haldwani, Nainital (Uttarkhand).

Activity # 3. Application of Remote Sensing and Geographical Information System (GIS) in Sericulture:

A project was implemented in collaboration with the NESAC, during the XI Plan (2007-12) covering all the states, involving a total cost of 2.50 crores.

Their main objectives were:

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(i) To map and identify additional potential areas for development of food plants for mulberry and vanya sericulture in different states,

(ii) To carry out an appraisal sur­vey to evaluate the progress of sericulture develop­ment in few selected areas using remote sensing technology.

Activity # 4. International Collaboration:

CSB being a member of the International Seri­culture Commission (ISC), providing consultancy support to third world countries on sericulture development. CSB is exporting silkworm eggs to African and South Asian countries like Ghana, Ethiopia, Bangladesh. Srilanka, Vietnam, etc.

Since 1989, many aided projects were implemented in India, viz., Swiss aided Seri-2000 project for mul­berry in Karnataka, Tamilnadu, AP and West Bengal (1997-2004), UNDP supported project for develop­ment of Vanya silks (1999-2003), World Bank assisted National Sericulture Project for mulberry in 17 states (1989-1996), etc.

Activity # 5. Training on Bivoltine Sericulture Technology under the 3rd Country Training Programme:

As a part of technical cooperation programme between the JICA and the Central Silk Board (CSB), CSR&TI. Mysore is imparting training for many Afro-Asian countries like Bangladesh, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Indonesia, Kenya, Laos, Mada­gascar, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Uganda on bivoltine sericulture technologies with the expertise developed by CSB.

Activity # 6. Cluster Development Programme:

Some special sericulture projects are being implemented through cluster approaches. CSB in co­ordination with State Sericulture Departments, have jointly developed 51 clusters so far (45 precocoon and 6 postcocoon) covering 16 States. During the year 2009-10, CSB has released Rs. 19.11 crores and during the year 2010-11, Rs. 15.27 crores of central share of funds under CDP.

Activity # 7. Establishment of Automatic Reeling Units in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka:

Three Automatic Reeling Machines (ARM) have been established, one each in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu till 2009-10. Under XI Plan, five more Units are being established, two each in Karnataka/AP and one in TN.

Activity # 8. Eri Spun Silk Mills at Andhra Pradesh and Assam:

Three Eri Spun Silk Mills have been established at Hindupur (AP), Kokrajhar and Guwahati (Assam). These Units have started commercial production of eri silk.

Activity # 9. Eri Silk Knitwear Products:

As a part of Vanya silk development effort, the Vanya Silk Market Promotion Cell (VSMPC) of

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CSB has developed eri silk knitwear production, in collaboration with NIFT-TEA Knitwear Fashion Institute, Tirupur in Tamilnadu with a view to get the attention of both export and domestic markets.

Activity # 10. Policy Initiatives:

Important policy initiatives taken recently for the development of silk industry are:

(i) Sericulture is included as agriculture allied activity under RKVY (Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana). This will enable the sericulturists to avail the benefits of the scheme for the entire sericulture activities up to reeling.

(ii) The Govt. of India has taken necessary steps to import 2500 metric tonne of raw silk through NHDC (duty free) for distribution among small weavers.

(iii) The CSB (Amendment) Act, Rules and Regu­lations have been notified by the Govt. of India to bring quality standards in silkworm seed production.

(iv) Forest Conservation Act has been amended to treat non-mulberry sericulture as forest based activity. It will enable the farmers to undertake Vanya silkworm rearing in the natural host plantation in the forests.

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