Silk Board keen on pvt sector initiative to promote eri silk
The CSB has been encouraging establishment of spun silk mills in the private sector under the Catalytic Development Programme (CDP) to covert eri cocoons into mill spun yarn, a CSB official told FE. While one unit has already been set up at Hindupur in Andhra Pradesh, two more units are coming up in the north-east, the first one of which has been commissioned recently at Kokrajhar in Assam with the technical and financial assistance from the CSB and the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) of Assam.
This mill is equipped with 840 spindles and has facilities to produce 30,000 kg of international grade eri spun yarn by consuming about 70,000 kg of eri cocoons. The mill, which has been promoted by a private firm, Indi Luo Enterprise, has been set up with an outlay of Rs 30 crore. Of that, the CSB offered Rs 11.25 crore, while BTC provided Rs 25 lakh towards purchase of machineries and establishment of infrastructure. In addition, BTC has offered an additional grant of Rs 30 lakh for further development. Another such mill will come up in Guwahati in the near future, the CSB sources said.
Eri, known much for its delicious and nutritious pupa in the north-eastern part of the country, enjoys unique characteristics like thermal properties, extra softness and aristocratic finish.
Although three southern
