By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 10 Sep: Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Ganesh Joshi inaugurated the Silk Expo organised by the Silk Mark Organization under the Central Silk Board of the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, in association with the Uttarakhand Cooperative Silk Federation, here, today. The Minister also visited the stalls displaying products made from silk.
The Silk Expo features participants from 9 states with 15 weavers showcasing their products (from Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and other states). The Expo aims to promote silk and provide a platform for weavers from various states. Silk Mark, an initiative by the Central Silk Board, is managed by the Silk Mark Organisation of India (SMOI). Over its six-year history, SMOI has successfully certified nearly 5,000 authorised users and made more than 50 million silk-marked products available in the market. The Silk Mark Expo has proven to be an effective tool for promoting silk. This year, twelve expos will be held in major cities across the country, with the Dehradun Expo being the second in the series. It is taking place from 10 to 15 September at Hotel Madhuban, Rajpur Road, showcasing a complete range of pure silk products from remote weaving groups across India under one roof.
Minister Ganesh Joshi congratulated and extended best wishes to the organisers, praising the effort to provide high-quality products at reasonable prices through such exhibitions. He mentioned that Uttarakhand’s products are also available in the market under the Doon Silk brand. He noted that three power looms have been set up at the Growth Centre in Selaqui to accelerate textile production. Currently, 250 weavers in the state (from Dehradun, Haridwar, Udham Singh Nagar, Almora, Pithoragarh, Chamoli, and Uttarkashi) have been provided handlooms through the Central Silk Board.
Minister Joshi highlighted that the state is producing 45,000 metres of textiles at present. Additionally, three outlets are being operated through the Uttarakhand Co-operative Silk Federation in Dehradun, Rishikesh, and Mussoorie. He emphasised that Uttarakhand’s climate is suitable for silk production, including varieties like tussar, eri, and muga, which are enhancing the income of local farmers. He assured that the state government is making every possible effort to elevate the silk industry to new heights and increase farmers’ income. He expressed confidence that the Expo would play a significant role in promoting silk and enriching the lives of weavers.
The event was also attended by Minister of State Kailash Pant, former President of the Silk Federation Ajit Chaudhary, Pradeep Rawat, Surendra Rana, Jyoti Kotiya, Director of Silk Pradeep Singh, and several other dignitaries.
