Rs 150 cr package for silk reeling units

The Karnataka government has come out with a Rs 150 crore package to financially assist the silk reeling units in the state.

"A majority of the silk reeling units are still dependent on manual labour. Besides, the technology used by them for reeling silk is obsolete. Our intention is to give silk reeling unit owners access to the latest technology through the new package," Karnataka's small-scale industries and sericulture minister Katta Subrahmanya Naidu told a press conference here on Wednesday.

He pointed out that the silk reeling units were highly disorganised in the state. "The package for the silk reeling units includes subsidy component to purchase the latest machines, factory sheds and housing. We want all the silk reeling units to operate from a common area," the minister added.

The state government has already set aside Rs 75 crore for the purpose.