Ranchi: Indiravati Tiriya, a resident of the remote village of Majhgaon in Chakradharpur, is examining cocoons to make silk threads under a microscope which in return is bringing prosperity in her life.
Indiravati said that she had never even heard the name of a microscope, but today she uses it very well in testing which has boosted her confidence. She said that Apart from Tasar farming her family has no other means of earning and they are completely dependent on sericulture. “I had never thought that Tasar would prove to be so beneficial for me, i got training by Government and today I am earning up to Rs 1,69,000 per annum,” she said.
About 18 thousand women like Indiravati are now giving a new dimension to their livelihood by cultivating silk in a scientific way with the changing times.
Following the instructions of Chief Minister Hemant 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 Didis of Sakhi Mandal in Jharkhand suitable for the cultivation of tasar naturally. Once the families who had given up on tasar cultivation due to the loss in silk farming are now making good income by cultivating tasar in a scientific way and are connecting others with it.
This story of change is being written through the silk project implemented by Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society. This initiative of the Chief Minister to link forest produce with the livelihood of rural family in the remote forested areas of Jharkhand is proving to be successful.
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 Tasar. Under Project Resham, a producer group is formed and along with technical help necessary equipment and tools are also made available to the producer groups. Through this initiative, about 482 sisters of Sakhi Mandal have been made ‘Livelihood Resham Mitras’ and 602 women ‘Master Trainers’ as Tester Didi to promote Tasar cultivation, for training and technical help to the farmers in their service village. These 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 Tasar.
Along with reviving the extinct Tasar farming in Jharkhand, the silk project has also prevented migration to rural areas. By doing Tasar farming especially the rural women farmers are showing a new picture of a changing state by becoming self-sufficient by earning well at low cost. Scientific cultivation of silk is being promoted by Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society in 20 blocks of 8 districts of the state. In the coming days, there are plans to connect Didis from yarn production to making silk products.
“The rural women of the state are being linked with strong livelihood through scientific cultivation of tasar. Today, more than 18 thousand rural women are becoming self-reliant by joining tasar farming. Rural women can also be linked to yarn production through cocoons. The sisters of Sakhi Mandal will also play an important role in the manufacture of silk designer garments under the value chain,” Nancy Sahai, CEO, JSLPS.