Central Silk Board

Central Silk Board
Name	Central Silk Board
Formation	1948
Type	Statutory body
Headquarters	Bangalore
Region served	India
Leader title	Chairman
Parent organization	Ministry of Textiles

Central Silk Board

The Central Silk Board is a statutory body established to oversee sericulture and silk industry development in India, coordinating between Ministry of Textiles (India), Government of India, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal to support producers, researchers and exporters; it interacts with institutions such as Indian Council of Agricultural Research, National Institute of Fashion Technology, Central Silk Technological Research Institute (CSTRI), Central Silk Board Research and Training Institute and Silk Export Promotion Council while aligning policies with international actors like Food and Agriculture Organization, World Trade Organization, United Nations Industrial Development Organization and International Sericultural Commission.

History

The board was constituted in 1948 following recommendations from commissions including the All India Industries Select Committee and postwar plans influenced by policymakers from Nehru administration, Ministry of Commerce and Industry (India), and advisors connected to the Planning Commission (India); its early years involved collaboration with state governments such as Mysore State, Bombay State and Madras Presidency and technical exchanges with laboratories like Central Research Institute (Kasauli) and universities including University of Mysore and Banaras Hindu University. During the Green Revolution period, it adapted strategies parallel to interventions by Indian Council of Agricultural Research and later coordinated relief after events like the Bihar famine while integrating initiatives from the National Agricultural Research System and trade discussions at forums including Asian Development Bank and World Bank.

Organization and Governance

The board's governance structure comprises a Chairman appointed by the Government of India and a governing council with representatives from state departments of Karnataka State Sericulture Department, Tamil Nadu Sericulture Department, Maharashtra and Assam plus members nominated from bodies such as the Ministry of Textiles (India), Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Indian Council of Agricultural Research and stakeholders including Silk Mark Organisation of India, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry, Confederation of Indian Industry and producer cooperatives. Administrative headquarters are in Bengaluru with zonal offices linked to regional centres in Mysuru, Siliguri, Tiruchirappalli, Patna and Tinsukia, and advisory committees draw expertise from institutions like Indian Institute of Science, National Institute of Design, Indian Statistical Institute and legal oversight from the Ministry of Law and Justice (India).

Functions and Services

Mandated functions include policy implementation in sericulture linked to state schemes such as Assam State Sericulture Scheme, technical extension services offered alongside Krishi Vigyan Kendra, certification programs run with Silk Mark Organisation of India, quality testing in laboratories comparable to Central Food Technological Research Institute and market development through events like the India International Trade Fair and coordination with trade bodies such as the Silk Export Promotion Council and Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts. It provides farmer outreach via extension officers, broodstock supply coordinated with regional seed stations, training programs with National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj and crisis response through mechanisms similar to those used by National Disaster Management Authority.

Research and Development

The board supports research at centres including Central Sericultural Research and Training Institute, Central Silk Technological Research Institute, Regional Sericulture Research Stations and collaborates with universities like University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, North Eastern Hill University and Gauhati University; projects span mulberry improvement, non-mulberry sericulture involving Antheraea mylitta, disease management referencing protocols from Indian Council of Agricultural Research, silk reeling technologies influenced by Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute and product development in partnership with Indian Institute of Technology Madras and Indian Institute of Technology Delhi. Joint initiatives have received funding and technical exchange with international partners such as Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Japan International Cooperation Agency and International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology.

Sericulture Promotion and Welfare Programs

The board administers farmer-centric schemes that provide inputs, training and subsidies coordinated with state programs in Karnataka, Jharkhand, Odisha and Chhattisgarh and operates welfare measures modeled on interventions by National Rural Livelihoods Mission and Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana analogues for sericulturists; these include inducements for women producers, integration with self-help groups under Ministry of Rural Development (India), social security linkages via Employees' State Insurance Corporation and capacity building through partnership with National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj and vocational bodies like National Skill Development Corporation.

Finance and Funding

Funding streams comprise grants-in-aid from the Ministry of Textiles (India), project-specific loans and assistance coordinated with NABARD, performance-linked incentives aligned with schemes administered by Department of Financial Services (India), and revenue from services such as certification, training and leased facilities; audit and financial oversight involve the Comptroller and Auditor General of India and compliance reporting to the Parliament of India and Public Accounts Committee.

Category:Sericulture