Maharashtra Government, BAIF Sign MoU For Special Tasar Silk Development Project In Gadchiroli
The Maharashtra government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the BAIF Development Research Foundation to launch a Special Tasar Silk Development Project in Gadchiroli, aimed at creating sustainable livelihoods and improving incomes for more than 2,270 tribal farming families.
The agreement was signed at Mantralaya in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Minister of Textiles Sanjay Savkare. Senior officials from the Directorate of Sericulture and representatives of BAIF were also present at the signing ceremony.
The project will leverage Gadchiroli’s rich forest resources and favourable ecosystem for tasar sericulture, a traditional silk-rearing activity that has long supported tribal communities in eastern Vidarbha. Maharashtra is among the states producing both mulberry and tasar silk.
The districts of Gadchiroli, Chandrapur, Bhandara and Gondia together have nearly 44,500 acres of host trees required for tasar silkworm rearing. Around 3,000 tribal families in the region are already dependent on tasar sericulture for their livelihoods.
Under the new initiative, private tasar seed production centres will be established, while seed production and commercial cocoon production will be promoted. The project will also support the development of post-cocoon processing and value-addition facilities to enhance returns for producers.
Farmers will receive technical guidance, skill development and capacity-building support aimed at improving productivity, strengthening market access and enhancing the overall value chain.
According to officials, the project will place special emphasis on the economic and social empowerment of Scheduled Tribe communities, particularly women, while creating employment opportunities across rural and tribal areas.
