A silk reeling center in Badharghat in West Tripura is providing jobs to rural women.
It is well known that North East India is a leading producer of silk, and as a result, many people of the region, have got jobs.
The silk reeling center at Badharghat is now actively using modern technology to boost production.
Badharghat lies on the outskirts of Agartala and the silk reeling center there produces some of the finest quality silk which is in high demand.
Cocoon from various silk rearing clusters and cocoon collection centers in West Tripura are collected here for taking out silk threads.
Over 40 locals, mostly women are engaged at the centre in various stages of silk production and are able to earn well besides availing facilities like health insurance and pension.
A worker, Pushpa Bhowmik, said, "The workers, most of them women have been benefited. All total, we are 33 in strength and we are getting an extra income for the family. It is very helpful."
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With help from the Central Silk board, the government-run centre has undergone modernization with eight semi-automatic reeling machines and other facilities.
In 2012, the state's first power loom silk production center was started here as well.
Sericulture Development Officer Maya Datta said, "Here, we get cocoons from various sericulture clusters spread throughout Tripura and we produce pure silk yarn. I have noticed that the situation is improving day by day and the unit is making profit."
Over the years, both the Tripura and central government have been giving a lot of priority to boost silk production by introducing a number of schemes to encourage locals to take up sericulture.
The state government has increased the total area under mulberry cultivation which has considerably increased raw silk production.
Director, Sericulture Department, Government of Tripura., D.K. Chakma, said, "In Tripura whatever silk sarees and other fabrics are produced, they are going outside Tripura as well including neighboring countries like Bangladesh. They are very much interested. They have come and seen our quality of yarn and raw fabric. Some of these companies who had come for National Handloom Expo last year, they have visited and expressed interest in buying bulk quantity."
The Northeast region is famous for producing a variety of silk products, including the Muga and Pat fabrics of Assam and Tripura silk sarees.