Bhubaneswar: Announcing plans to transform Odisha into the silk hub of the country, Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh said the Centre will take concrete steps to make the state a leading producer of silk.
He said 132 metric tonnes of silk, including 131 metric tonnes of Tussar silk, is being produced in India at present.
The Union Minister, who was on a visit to the state, told reporters that 29 out of 30 districts of Odisha are involved in silk and handicraft works and there are about 3.5 lakh artisans and handloom weavers in the state.
After holding discussion with the chief secretary, it has been decided to announce Odisha as a silk state, which means the highest amount of silk will be produced from the state so that India can become the largest silk producer in the world, Singh said.
The Minister further said that the union government in association with the state government and silk board will develop Odisha as a hub for silk production.
He said the state will be asked to select one district for the development of the textile sector with proper market linkage. The selected district will also be promoted as a tourism destination, the Minister said.
“We will also aim to enhance the income of the handloom weavers to Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000 per month. The Centre and state will work on mission mode to achieve the target,” Singh added.
On the Union budget for the 2025-26, the Minister said the size of the annual budget has been enhanced from Rs 16 lakh crore in 2014 to Rs 51 lakh crore for FY’26.
Odisha will also benefit from the budget. The railway allocation to the state has been increased from Rs 838 crore in 2009-14 to Rs 10,500 crore in the current budget, he said, adding that that the number of airports in the state has also increased during the tenure of the Modi government.
The Centre has decided to identify 120 new destinations to introduce air connectivity in the coming days. Sambalpur, Dhenkanal, Mayurbhanj, Ganjam and Kenojhar districts of Odisha are likely to benefit from this, he informed.
The Hirakud reservoir area and Satkosia in the state will be developed as major tourist destinations of the country with funding from the centre, Singh added.
