Central Silk Board expands Muga and Eri Silk training to West Bengal farmers through Mendipathar Centre

The Central Silk Board (CSB) in collaboration with the West Bengal Directorate of Textiles (Sericulture), Department of Agriculture, and the P-4 Unit of CSB Mendipathar organised a four-day residential training programme for Muga and Eri seed rearers under the Silk Samagra - 2 (SS-2) scheme. The training was held at the Mendipathar CSB Centre, located along the Assam-Meghalaya border in North Garo Hills, Meghalaya.

The inaugural session witnessed the presence of key dignitaries including Yosima W. Momin (ADC, NGH District), Dr. Arup Krishna Thakur (Joint Director, NZ, West Bengal Department of Sericulture), Dr. N.K. Bhatia (Director, MESSO, CSB Guwahati) and Mahasankar Mazumdar (Scientist-C, MESSO, Mendipathar). The event commenced with a traditional Garo ‘Wangala’ dance performed by students of Mendipathar College, who also recently completed a 19-day training on Muga and Eri silk production.

The Silk Samagra - 2 scheme, with an outlay of ₹4,679.85 crore (2021–2026), is a flagship initiative of the Government of India aimed at holistic development of the silk sector, including productivity enhancement, seed quality improvement, and rural employment generation.

During the programme, a special session was held to felicitate nine Mendipathar College students who completed internships on Muga culture. Speaking at the event, Dr. N.K. Bhatia shared that 35 farmers from West Bengal’s Kalimpong, Darjeeling, Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, and Cooch Behar districts are participating in the training to gain hands-on experience in advanced techniques of Muga and Eri silk production.

Dr. Bhatia noted the increasing participation of tribal women in silk production. “In Alipurduar alone, over 4,000 tribal women are actively involved in Eri silk work—producing yarns, garments, and contributing to household incomes while maintaining financial independence,” he said.

Highlighting the regional importance, Dr. Bhatia remarked that Assam’s Muga silk, known globally for its golden sheen, and Meghalaya’s Eri silk, often referred to as ‘Peace Silk’ due to its non-violent extraction method, are now gaining ground in West Bengal through sustained efforts of the West Bengal Sericulture Department. He added that Kalimpong, due to its suitable climate and ecology, holds the potential to become a hub for quality Muga and Eri seed production.

The significance of these silks has been nationally recognised: Muga silk from Assam received its GI tag in 2007, Bodo Eri silk (locally called Indi silk) from Assam’s Kokrajhar and Chirang districts secured its GI tag in 2024, and Meghalaya’s Eri silk was granted GI status in 2025.

Among the attendees was Rotina Basumatary from Bamsibad village, Alipurduar, who shared her four-year experience in Eri cocoon and handloom production. She said the training will help her upgrade her skills. Another participant, Behula Mochari from Uttar Dhalkor village, echoed similar views, stating that machine-based training would enhance production and reduce time.

Dinea D. Sangma, a Mendipathar College student who completed her 15-day internship in Muga and Eri production, expressed gratitude to the CSB and her college, and said she is now considering a future in silk production.