The State Government would set up ‘Seri Tourism’ centre on the hill station of Yercaud for providing all information about sericulture activities in the State, said Edappadi K. Palaniswami, Chief Minister. The project is coming up at an outlay of ₹ 2.50 crore.
Mr. Palaniswami was speaking at a conference of sericulture farmers and entrepreneurs organised by the Sericulture Department here on Saturday.
He said that Tamil Nadu was one of the front running States in sericulture activities in the country. The State Government has earmarked ₹ 148 crore for the same in the last seven years.
The area under mulberry cultivation stood at 46,570 acres beneffitting 24,427 farmers.
The Chief Minister said that the demand for rawsilk in the State stood at 3,000 tonnes, whereas the production was only 1,900 tonnes.
In order to increase the production of raw silk, many schemes were being implemented, he said and asked seri culture farmers to join the initiatives of the government.
The Chief Minister released traffic rules awareness guide brought out by the Transport Department.
He asked people to strictly abide by road rules to bring down fatal accidents in the State. He said that the green corridor planned by the Centre between Salem and Chennai will reduce the travel time between the two cities to three hours.
P. Benjamin, Rural Industries Minister, who presided over the programme, said that a sericulture farmer can earn about ₹ 1.50 lakh per annum from an acre of mulberry crop.
He said that Tamil Nadu was a leader in cocoon productivity, chawkie worms distribution to farmers, and bivoltine silk production.
K. Phanindra Reddy, Principal Secretary, Handlooms, Handicrafts, Textiles and Khadi, said that to encourage farmers, a plantation incentive of Rs. 10,500 per acre and maximum upto five acres is being given to farmers planting high yielding mulberry crops.
In addition, a subsidy of ₹ 30,000 an acre to a maximum of five acres was given to install drip irrigation facility for mulberry. A subsidy of ₹ 87,500 was given for the construction of silkworm rearing house, and farm equipments worth ₹ 52,500 too was provided.
Rohini R. Bhajibhakare, District Collector, said that Salem district has 1,733 sericulture farmers using about 2,740 acres.
S. Semmalai, a former Minister; P.R. Sundaram, MP; P. Sri Venkata Priya, Driector of Sericulture; too spoke.
The Chief Minister opened an exhibition, released a booklet explaining the achievements of the Sericulture Department, and distributed best sericulture farmer awards.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Coimbatore / by Special Correspondent / Salem – April 28th, 2018