Silk and wool manufacture are the oldest industry of Jammu and Kashmir government, in a bid to restore the past glory of the traditional silk factory and wool mills in Jammu and Kashmir, government has devised a Rs 50 crore revival plan for modernisation of a silk factory and a woolen mill here.

The meeting, chaired by Minister of State for Industries and Commerce, Sajjad Ahmad Kichloo, was informed that over Rs 50 crore revival plan has been put together for modernisation and upgrading of the government Silk Factory Rajbagh and Woolen Mills Bemina.

Of which Rs 22.48 crore would be spent for the development of the silk factory, while Rs 18 crore would be incurred on the mill to enable these factories to produce a variety of woolen and silken fabrics on a higher commercial scale.

Apart of this, joinery Mills at Jammu and Srinagar are also being upgraded at an estimated cost of Rs 10.30 crore, an official spokesman said after a review meeting of industries sector here.

The J&K State has a traditional base in Sericulture. As the Production of Reeling Cocoons declined considerably in the State resulted in closure of two supplementary silk reeling units, Govt. Silk Filatures, Rambagh, Srinagar and Govt. Silk Factory, Jammu, thereby reducing production efficiency of Silk Weaving Factory, Rajbagh, Srinagar. The machinery being very old proposal for modernization/re-engineering has been considered. The factory has potential to manufactured silk products in different qualities particularly Chinon, Chiffon, IAL, Charmous which has ample market opportunities.

Like other units of the Jammu and Kashmir Industries Ltd, the state-owned company which controls over a dozen units, the Bemina Woolen Mills due to recurring losses as the management has failed to maintain its infrastructure, including machinery is also proposed for modernization. On revival the unit would manufacture 2 lakh meters of fabric annually. It has an additional capacity to produce woolen yarns for handloom / handicraft sector.