K'taka to approach PM over import duty on silk

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said that the State government will once again appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to increase the import duty on silk from 10 per cent to the earlier 30 per cent.

Addressing the gathering after chairing a meeting with silk growers and reelers in the State, the chief minister said that a delegation comprising Karnataka MPs and Union ministers from the State will be taken to the Centre to press for this demand again.

He said that the import duty had been reduced owing to the strong lobby by the weavers in Uttar Pradesh, especially Varanasi. He said that Karnataka Silk Marketing Board will be directed to start aggressive purchases of raw silk to help stabilise the rates.

The reduction in import duty has resulted in plummeting of the cocoon price, adversely affecting the silk growers. When the chief minister did not announce any incentives for silk growers, the latter staged a flash protest before him. 

Though Siddaramaiah did not succumb to all of their demands, he however assured them that the technical committee would be constituted immediately, and it would be asked to submit the report within one week or ten days. He also assured them that they would be given loans at zero per cent interest.

“The silk growers are getting an incentive of Rs 30 in case of price crash. Under the present circumstances, the government will extend an additional Rs 30 incentive, if the cocoon prices go below Rs 220 per kg,” he said.