India : National silkworm seed regulatory authority

The Government propose to set up a National Silkworm Seed Regulatory Authority. This information was given by the Minister of State for Textiles, Shri E.V.K.S. Elangovan in a written reply to a question by Shri Rajkumar Dhoot in the Rajya Sabha.
The Minister further informed the House that as per the provisions of Central Silk Board (Amendment) Act, 2006, Central Silkworm Seed Committee has been constituted vide Notification dated 10.8.2007. The Committee shall be responsible for:-
• laying down of quality standards for kind or variety of silk-worm seed;
• authorization of silk-worm races and hybrids for commercial exploitation;
• laying down of quality standards for production of silk-worm seeds;
• laying down the conditions and requirements that have to be met out by the persons desirous of setting up of facilities for production of silk-worm seeds of grainage;
• laying down the certification and silk-worm seed testing procedures for seeds sold by the registered producers;
• undertaking the registration of silk-worm seed producers and dealers and controlling, supervising the inspection process to ensure adherence to the specified quality standards and seed certification requirements;
• laying down the conditions and standards for export and import of silk-worm seed and adherence to them;
• programming and planning of silk-worm seed production;
• advising the Central Government andthe State Governments on the matters aforesaid; and such other matters connected and incidental to the production, supply, distribution, trade and commerce in silk-worm seed, as may be specified by regulations made by the Committee from time to time”.
The Minister further informed the House that the Government of India gives due weightage to all silk producing States by providing funds through schemes such as Catalytic Development Programme which is being implemented since IXth Plan onwards and to be continued in XIth Plan with an objective of dissemination and promotion of new technologies developed by research institutes and development of sericulture through facilitating linkages amongst stake holders and strengthening the supply chain for silk production.