An integrated large scale eri farming project has been launched in Arunachal Pradesh under the North East Region Textile Promotion Scheme. Financial assistance will be provided to 4000 beneficiaries under the scheme in the state. Skill training will be imparted to sericulture farmers and weavers under the Samarth Scheme for capacity building in the textile sector.

There are 27,000 looms and 33,000 handloom weavers in Arunachal Pradesh. Initially the project would cover five districts—Papumpare, East Kameng, Siang, East Siang and West Siang. Ninety per cent financial assistance will be provided to registered weavers wanting to upgrade their old looms.

Silk production is being encouraged in the Northeast. Projects worth Rs 690 crores are being implemented in the north east states. Out of these six are in Assam, one in Sikkim, two each in Meghalaya and Manipur and the rest in other states. The scheme is aimed at a holistic development of sericulture in all its spheres from plantation development to production of fabrics with value addition at every stage of the production chain.

All four commercially exploited varieties of silk — mulberry, muga, eri and tasar — are produced in the north east and this region contributes about 21 per cent of the total silk production in the country.