The government has decided to include sericulture and allied activities in Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) to make them eligible for funding under RKVY.
It will cover sericulture up to the stage of cocoon production along with extension system for cocoon production and silk yarn production in agri-enterprise up to the marketing, an official statement said here on Thursday.
The benefits of RKVY can now be availed for improvement of sericulture extension system, enhancement of soil health development of rain fed sericulture and for integrated pest management. The benefits available will be for improving silkworm seeds base and for mechanisation of the sector. Projects can be taken up to support non-farm activities and special schemes can be sanctioned to beneficiaries of land reforms such as marginal and small farmers etc. to maximize return to the sericulture farmer.
The government is in the process of formulating the National Fibre Policy in which the sericulture and silk sector has been recognized as a very important component for growth of the natural fibre sector.
?Production of raw silk in the country needs to be launched on a higher growth projectile and the inclusion of this sector in RKVY has provided the much needed impetus in this direction,? Textile minister Dayanidhi Maran said, adding that this will provide a major thrust for modernizing and strengthening the sector as the infusion of funds will help the sector through area expansion and productivity enhancement.
Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana was introduced during the XI Plan as an additional central assistance scheme to incentivise states to draw up plans for agriculture and allied sectors to supplement state specific strategies including special schemes for beneficiaries of land reforms.