CM Fadnavis Clears Tasar Silk Project in Gadchiroli District Maharashtra’s Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has approved the Tasar Silk Development Project in Gadchiroli district, marking a significant step toward boosting livelihoods for tribal farming communities. The initiative, signed through a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the state government and BAIF (Bharatiya Agroforestry and Indigenous Forestry), aims to create sustainable income opportunities for over 2,270 tribal families. The agreement was formalized at the state government’s Mantralaya headquarters, with Fadnavis and textiles minister Sanjay Savkare present alongside officials from the directorate of sericulture and BAIF representatives. The project leverages Gadchiroli’s abundant forest resources and favorable ecosystem to revive tasar sericulture, a traditional silk-rearing practice that has historically supported tribal communities in eastern Vidarbha. Maharashtra is one of the few states producing both mulberry and tasar silk, with eastern Vidarbha districts—Gadchiroli, Chandrapur, Bhandara, and Gondia—holding nearly 44,500 acres of tasar silkworm host trees. Approximately 3,000 tribal families already rely on this sector for their livelihoods. Key components of the project include establishing private tasar seed production centers, promoting seed and commercial cocoon production, and developing post-cocoon processing facilities to add value to the product. Farmers will receive technical guidance, skill development programs, and capacity-building support to enhance productivity and access to markets. Officials emphasized the project’s focus on empowering Scheduled Tribe communities, particularly women, while generating employment across rural and tribal regions.#devendra_fadnavis #gadchiroli_district #baif #sanjay_savkare #tasar_silk_project
