Bihar to get Rs 60 cr silk farming centre

The government of Bihar has sanctioned a grant of Rs 60 crore for the set up of an advanced centre on sericulture in the state. The centre will come up at Abdul Kalam Agriculture College in the Kishanganj district. The establishment of the proposed silk farming centre will help in the development and growth of the silk industry in the state.

The centre will encompass various departments to carry out in-depth study on various aspects of farming including mulberry production, silkworm, silk textile technology and the pests afflicting silkworms among others. "Sericulture is popular in Bhagalpur, Banka, Munger, Saharsa, Supaul and some other areas. The farmers at present hardly have any access to modern practices as there is no such institution in Bihar that can provide them the technical and scientific input," according to media reports.

Aiming to help the farmers as well as the cultivators, the centre will have a total of 101 posts with 3 for chief scientists, 14 for senior scientists, 42 for junior scientists and the remaining for the non-teaching staff. The farmers will be trained with latest cultivation techniques and methods to control pests.

The centre will boost employment opportunities in the rural areas. More than 25,000 farmers are engaged in sericulture in Bihar. Technical assistance will help them in increasing their output and improve economic condition.