Irani inaugurates projects under NERTPS

Union Minister of Textiles Smriti Zubin Irani, inaugurated and launched four sericulture development projects for women empowerment under the North East Region Textile Promotion Scheme (NERTPS) at Sabangya, Chungtia village, Mokokchung District Friday in the presence of Minister of State for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju.

Irani unveiled the inaugural stone of the Post Cocoon Technology Project along with the launching of integrated scheme for development of Eri and Oak Tasar silk industry.

Speaking at the inaugural function, Smriti Irani spoke about the numerous projects pertaining to sericulture in the north east states and the overwhelming output that the region produces for the entire country. She also said the government was trying to promote silk production in large scale throughout the North East region looking at the rich potential of Muga silk production in region.

She said that 100% production of muga silk, 100% production of oak tasar silk and 99% production of eri silk for the entire country was produced by the northeast states.  Further, Irani assured that the project proposal presented by the village council of Chungtia for the eri silk development would be put on priority basis to materialise at the earliest.

Minister stated that the Muga P3 basic seed station inaugurated under NERTPS at Kobulong, Mokokchung, at the cost of Rs. 3 crore would benefit close to over a thousand commercial farmers and 130 seed rearers in that particular area. She said that this project alone would benefit 400 hundred women by providing linkages from cocoon storage, breeding units, dying units, fabric processing unit, certified loans and the common facility cetre so that value addition can be done.

Minister of State for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, stated that rearing of muga/eri and the beautiful distinctive pattern textile were part of the Naga tradition. He said that Nagas have always stood up as fashionable people because of the unique but diverse costumes, amongst the various Naga tribes. 

The Minister credited the status of the Naga womenfolk for being on par with the menfolk in many fields.

Rijiju asserted that NERTPS would not only benefit the community in economic terms but would also promote women empowerment by expanding their potentials.

Earlier in the programme, the union ministers inaugurated Muga P3 Basic Seed Production Centre, Kubolong by unveiling an inaugural stone and releasing of brochure, launched sericulture development project of Kiphire, an Aspirational District of Nagaland, by releasing a brochure of the project and unveiling an inaugural stone, launched Bivoltine sericulture development project through Women Empowerment for whole district by releasing a brochure of the project.