Proposal to merge Agriculture and Sericulture departments opposed

According to the former Minister P.G.R. Sindhia, the government’s move has come as a rude shock to stakeholders in the sericulture sector. File photo: Bhagya Prakash K.

The State government’s move to merge Sericulture and Agriculture departments has been opposed by agriculturists, sericulture farmers, and the Silk Association of India (SAI).

The government formed an eight-member committee comprising principal secretaries of Finance, Planning, Agriculture, Horticulture and Sericulture, Personnel and Administrative Reforms, Commissioner of Agriculture, and Commissioner and Director of Sericulture as conveners and headed by Additional Chief Secretary and Development Commissioner on May 17 to study issues pertaining to the proposed merger and submit a report within a month.

SAI members on Thursday urged the government to drop the plan to merger the departments saying that it would sound the death knell for over 1.3 lakh families depending on sericulture.

The former Minister P.G.R. Sindhia and the former MP C. Narayanaswamy told presspersons on Thursday that the move had come as a rude shock to stakeholders in the sericulture sector. They urged the government to drop the plan in the interest of those dependent on sericulture. They said that sericulture was unique as its activities comprise both agricultural and industrial operations. Each operation needs specialised skills for its sustenance and at the same time, they were interdependent, they said.

The Sericulture Department’s role was important in transferring technology from laboratory to the field and also assist in their interdependence, Mr. Sindhia said, and added that it was necessary to retain the present setup.

“A delegation of leaders from the sericulture sector will meet Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and appraise him of the need to retain the present setup. If he refuses to respond to our plea, Mr. Siddaramaiah has to face Statewide protests,” he said.

Silk production

Mr. Narayanaswamy said that Karnataka was the premier silk producing State in the country, contributing nearly 40 per cent of the total silk production. At present, area under mulberry cultivation is 80,873 hectares in 10,542 villages, involving 1,30,552 farmer families, producing 61,419 tonnes of cocoons valued at Rs. 2,068 crore annually. Continuing separate Sericulture Department would only help in promoting the industry in the State, he added.