Scindia launches ‘Mission Senehjori’ for Assam Muga Silk

• Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Jyotiraditya Scindia and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma virtually launched ‘Mission Senehjori’ for Assam Muga Silk on June 2.

• The mission has a budget of Rs 411 crore over a three-year period.

• Highlighting the Centre’s vision for the Northeast, Scindia said the eight states of the region have been identified based on their unique strengths and potential.

• Nagaland has been identified for coffee, Tripura for pineapple, Sikkim for organic farming, Arunachal Pradesh for kiwi, Mizoram for organic ginger and Manipur for polo, Assam has been recognised for its world-renowned Muga Silk, he said.

Significance of the mission

• Muga silk, known as the world’s only naturally golden silk and India’s first GI-tagged silk, supports nearly 2.6 lakh rearer and weaver families in Assam. Despite its rarity and global recognition, the sector remains significantly under-monetised. 

• Mission Senehjori seeks to bridge this value gap by creating a premium, traceable and export-oriented Muga silk economy.

• Assam accounts for 90 per cent of the world’s Muga silk production, and that the sector’s unique character — its natural golden colour, exceptional durability and GI-backed traceability — places it in a league of its own among luxury textiles globally.

• Anchored by the Ministry of Development of North-East Region (MDoNER) in convergence with the government of Assam, Central Silk Board, Ministry of Textiles and other central ministries/organisations, the mission seeks to strengthen the entire Muga silk value chain from host-plant cultivation and silkworm seed production to reeling, weaving, branding, export promotion, digital traceability and tourism.

• The mission adopts a cluster-based approach covering major Muga silk producing districts including Jorhat, Sivasagar, Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Majuli and Sualkuchi. 

• The initiative envisages strengthening host plant ecology, establishing modern reeling infrastructure, promoting Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), creating Common Facility Centres (CFCs), enforcing GI authentication and building global market access under the unified brand identity ‘Senehjori’.

Expected outcomes:

The mission aims to achieve several key outcomes by 2028, including:

i) Establishment of five modernised Muga reeling units and a Muga spun mill.

ii) Creation of 30 FPOs and over 1,180 Farmer Interest Groups.

iii) Regeneration of 5,000 hectares of Som and Soalu host plants.

iv) Authentication of over 80 per cent of traded Muga silk through GI-linked systems.

v) Creation of digital traceability mechanisms for more than 8,000 households.

vi) Expansion of Muga silk exports to over 2,000 kilograms annually.

• Mission Senehjori also seeks to promote the cultural economy through development of a Muga Silk Trail, establishment of a Silk Tourism Park and organisation of annual Muga Utsav festivals, thereby positioning Assam as a premier destination for silk heritage tourism.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants.)