SHIMLA- Industries Minister Bikram Singh said more than 12 thousand farmers have been benefitted under the State Catalytic Development Program  that cost Rs 2.71 crore in the state.

Presiding over the review meeting of the sericulture wing of Industries Department here today he said the State Government has taken several steps for the welfare of the  sericulture farmers.

He said silkworm exhibition and training centre, silkworm community centre, cocoon marketing center and silk worm seed production center  are being set up under various divisions of the state to benefit the sikworm weavers.

He said that Seri Entrepreneurship Development and Innovation Center (SEDIC) building is being constructed at Balichaki in Mandi district at a cost of Rs.494 lakh. With the construction of this building, more silk weavers of the state would be provided training and products related to silk would be manufactured. The building of silkworm seed production center is being constructed at Thunag in Mandi district at a cost of Rs. 318 lakh.

He said that there are 79 silkworm rearing centers in the state. Mulberry is cultivated in 1287.51 bighas of the state. About 2 lakh 23 thousand mulberry saplings have been distributed and 238 metric tonnes of cocoons have been produced in the state during the year 2021-22.

Bikram Singh said that workshops would be organized to make people aware about silkworm rearing in the state, so that sericulture farmers get information about various schemes launched by the Central and State Governments for the development of silk industry.

Director Industries Rakesh Prajapati, Deputy Director Sericulture Wing Baldev Chauhan and other senior officers were present in the meeting.