Lagatar24 Desk
Ranchi, Jan 31: In a bid to renew the dying art of Tassar farming and decrease migration from the state, Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s initiative of Tassar farming in the state has helped several families that were suffering huge losses in silk farming. Several such families now have a stable earning that they use scientific methods for their trade. This initiative of the Chief Minister to link forest produce with the livelihood of rural families in the remote forested areas of Jharkhand has proven to be successful.
As per instructions from CM Soren, work is being done to increase the income of rural families through livelihood empowerment from forest produce of the state. Taking a step in this direction, the livelihood of remote rural families is being strengthened by promoting sericulture on a large scale through the women of Sakhi Mandal in Jharkhand, suitable for the cultivation of Tassar naturally.
Through this initiative, work is being done to increase the income of about 18 thousand rural women of the state by connecting them with the scientific method of Tassar farming. Under Project Resham, a producer group is formed and technical help along with necessary equipment is made available to the producer groups. About 482 women of Sakhi Mandal have been made Master Trainers as ‘Livelihood Resham Mitras’ and 602 women as ‘Tester Didi’, for training and technical assistance to the farmers in their service village to promote Tassar cultivation through this initiative. Now, this 602 tester didis of the village test the cocoon themselves through a microscope. At the same time, Resham Mitra works to connect and train the villagers with the scientific farming of Tassar.
Indiravati Tiriya, a resident of the remote village of Mazgaon in Chakradharpur, has now begun examining cocoons to make silk threads under a microscope. Indiravati says, ‘I had never even heard the name of a microscope, but today I use it very well during testing. This has boosted my confidence. Apart from Tassar farming, our family has no other means of earning. We are completely dependent on sericulture. I never thought that Tasar would prove to be so beneficial for me. Today I am earning up to Rs 1,69,000 per annum.’ She further said that she was trained by the government. About 18 thousand women like Indiravati have now been given a new way to improve their livelihood by cultivating silk in a scientific way.
Along with reviving the extinct Tassar farming in Jharkhand, the Resham Project has also prevented migration to other areas. By doing Tassar farming, farmers, especially rural women, have begun earning well at low costs and are presenting a new picture by becoming self-reliant. The scientific cultivation of silk is being promoted by the Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society in 20 blocks of eight districts of the state. In the coming days, there are plans to connect women to yarn production and to making silk products. The women of Sakhi Mandal will also play an important role in the manufacture of silk designer garments under the value chain.
