SRINAGAR, Sept 9: In a pioneering initiative blending heritage, livelihood, and sustainability, the Union Ministry of Textiles on Monday inaugurated the country’s first Seri-Eco Tourism project at the Central Silk Board’s Basic Seed Farm in Manasbal, Ganderbal district. The project, themed “Soil to Silk,a Journey into Heritage, Nature & Livelihood,” has been designed to transform the scenic mulberry farm into an immersive ecotourism destination, offering visitors a firsthand experience of every stage of India’s silk value chain.
Union Textiles Secretary Neelam Shami Rao, who formally inaugurated the project, described it as a landmark initiative that links tradition with innovation. Visitors to the farm will now be able to witness the entire silk production process from mulberry cultivation and silkworm rearing to cocoon reeling and weaving—while engaging with local artisans and scientists who sustain this centuries-old craft.
Officials highlighted that beyond being a tourism attraction, the project seeks to empower local communities by generating rural employment, providing women and youth with sustainable livelihood opportunities, and promoting India’s silk heritage on a national and global scale. Rao, while interacting with artisans, scientists, and stakeholders, assured the Ministry’s full support for expanding the initiative. She emphasized the critical role of women’s participation in strengthening the sericulture sector and encouraged artisans to use the farm’s platform to showcase their craft and earn better economic returns.
The event was attended by a high-level delegation including Padmini Singla, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Textiles; Swayamprava Pani, ADC, Handlooms, Ministry of Textiles; Ajaz Ahmad Bhat, Director, Sericulture Development Department, J&K; P. Sivakumar, CEO and Member Secretary, Central Silk Board; and G.S. Bhati, Executive Director, Central Wool Development Board.
One of the unique highlights of the Manasbal farm is the Temperate Mulberry Germplasm Bank, the only one of its kind in India, which conserves 150 mulberry genotypes collected from 17 countries. This repository not only adds a scientific and educational dimension to the project but also positions the farm as a vital hub for biodiversity conservation and sericulture research.
Officials stated that the Ministry of Textiles envisions the Manasbal Seri-Eco Tourism project as a national model, where scientific institutions can evolve into self-sustaining tourism hubs that integrate education, heritage, and rural empowerment. By merging ecotourism with sericulture, the initiative promises to create a new paradigm for sustainable development while spotlighting Kashmir’s unique contribution to India’s silk legacy.