THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Ranchi, Sept 18: Central Silk Board, a central government entity under the Ministry of Textiles, will confer the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ on former Managing Director of Jharkhand Silk Textile and Handicraft Development Corporation (Jharcraft) Dhirendra Kumar.
Award for Tasar development
The Board has invited Dhirendra Kumar to receive the award at its platinum jubilee celebration, which will be held in Bengaluru on September 21. He will receive this award for his outstanding contribution to the non-Mulberry (Tasar) sector’s development.
1983 batch IFS officer
Notably, Kumar is a retired 1983 batch Indian Forest Service officer.
He is credited with playing a key role in setting up Jharcraft in 2006 when he was deputed to the industries department. He took the helm at the Jharcraft when the activity of Sericulture, Handloom and Handicraft was dying in the state and the annual production of the sericulture in 2006-07 was only 90 metric tons. With his strong endeavour and hard work, within a 5-year time frame, the production of Tasar silk rose to 1025 metric tons, which was more than 10 times and thus Jharkhand became the leading producer of Tassar Silk in the country. The whole value chain of Tussar silk produced by Jharcraft is organic.
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Forest conservation and livelihood
As the silk is cultivated in Arjun and Asan trees in the forest areas, his initiative has also become a major factor in forest conservation and brought livelihood to 1.25 lakh tribals engaged in sericulture.
During his tenure, an estimated 44,000 weavers, 50,000 handicraft artisans, and 16,000 spinners collaborated with Jharcraft.
