• NET Web Desk

The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has taken another significant step toward reviving the silk industry in Arunachal Pradesh and generating long-term employment.

KVIC has established a new “Khadi Eri Silk Training and Production Centre” in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh, on the border with Bhutan.

The Silk-training-cum-manufacturing centre was unveiled by KVIC Chairman – Vinai Kumar Saxena at an altitude of over 14,000 feet, nestled along the snow-capped Himalayan ranges.

It was established with assistance from the Buddhist Culture Preservation Society of Bomdila, which provided the building.

On the other hand, KVIC has provided the necessary infrastructure, such as – handlooms, Charkha, Silk reeling machines, and warping drums, among other things. Twenty women artisans from Tawang and West Kameng districts are employed directly by the central administration.

Setting-up of the Khadi Silk Centre in Arunachal Pradesh is highly inspired by PM Modi’s vision of creating sustainable development in the remotest of Indian places and creating livelihood for the locals under “Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan”.

In less than two years, KVIC has established its second Silk Training and Production Centre in Arunachal Pradesh.

On September 17, 2020, KVIC opened the Eri Silk Training and Production Centre in Village Chullyu, Arunachal Pradesh; and revived the 1000-year-old Monpa Handmade Paper Industry in Tawang in December 2020, a move appreciated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his radio programme “Mann ki Baat”.

“This facility in Tawang will provide a significant boost to the region’s spinning and weaving activities. Local employment and sustainable development will be created through training artisans and promoting the production of Eri Silk, which is indigenous to the North Eastern states. At this centre, young designers and specialists from NIFT will train Khadi artisans to introduce new styles and make trendier clothes to fit the modern tastes of tribal youths,” asserted the Chairman of KVIC.

According to PIB report, silk has been an integral part of people’s lives in the North East for ages, but the flood of low-quality silk into these marketplaces decimated the business.

“The development is significant because the tribal people of Arunachal Pradesh, both men and women, wear Eri Silk and Khadi Cotton clothing, which has a long history in their egalitarian tribal community.” – the order further reads.

KVIC also hopes to connect the centre with tourists visiting Tawang, providing local artisans with a steady market for their wares. The manufacturing facility will be outfitted to meet market demand.