Northeast's Largest Eri Silk Plant Comes Up In Assam's Baksa

Northeast India’s largest ‘Eri Silk’ spinning mill has been made operational at the Integrated Textile Park in Assam’s Baksa district. The project by North Eastern Handicrafts and Handlooms Development Corporation Limited (NEHHDC) at Kharua, Mushalpur has been set up for Rs 14.92 crore, sanctioned by the North Eastern Council (NEC) under its schemes.

The largest Eri Silk spinning facility in the Northeast, it is equipped with 960 ring frame spindles and has a production capacity of 461 kilograms per day, with a built-up area of 12,916 square feet.

This project is implemented by NEHHDC and executed by the Central Public Works Department (CPWD). The mill currently benefits approximately 25,000 households indirectly. When operating at full capacity, the mill is expected to generate direct employment for 375 individuals and provide indirect livelihood to approximately 50,000 households, with an annual raw material requirement of 230 metric tons of Eri cocoon.

Assam has a rich heritage in sericulture. Eri silk, also referred to as "peace silk" due to its non-violent method of silk extraction, is experiencing increasing popularity. Given its eco-friendly properties, Eri silk is well-aligned with the rising global demand for sustainable products. Eri silk, known for its significant production volume and potential for blending with other fibres, presents promising opportunities for the textile industry. 

However, the lack of modern spinning infrastructure in Assam and other northeastern states delayed local utilization of Eri silk cocoons, leading to their export to other states or even internationally. To address this gap, NEHHDC initiated the project to supply yarn to the handloom sector, improve global competitiveness in terms of price and quality, and generate income and livelihood for the local population in the region. 

The state-of-the-art plant has installed machinery, including degumming, hydro extractor, hot air dryer, Pupa Rider, Cocoon Opener, Fiber Cutter, Bale,  Press, Cheese, Cone Winding, TFO, and Reeling. The project is expected to boost production, enhance livelihood and bring socio-economic benefits to the region.

Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) CEM Pramod Boro inaugurated the plant on Thursday in the presence of Dhananjay Basumatary, Daobaisa Boro, Rakesh Brahma, Bhupen Boro, Raktim Buragohain, Brigadier R K Singh (retd), senior officers from CPWD and other officials from district administrations and various departments and groups of BTC.

While speaking on the event, Pramod Boro emphasised the need for more production units to meet the projected demand, which could generate substantial income, estimated at around Rs 3,000 crore. 

There are plans to establish training centres to develop the skills of local people involved in the Eri silk industry. He urged the people of the region to take advantage of the plant and encouraged the local community to embrace industrial development.

The project will generate employment opportunities for the local population, contributing to regional economic growth.

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