The Assam government has decided to provide khadi shirts, and shawls and stoles made of ‘Eri’ to grade IV employees in a phased manner as a mark of respect to Mahatma Gandhi.
- Eri is a variety of silk produced in Assam which is processed without killing the silkworm.
- India has the unique distinction of being the only country producing all the five kinds of silk namely, Mulberry, Eri, Muga, Tropical Tasar and Temperate Tasar.
- India is the second largest producer of silk in the world and the total raw silk production in the country was 35,261 Metric Tonne during 2018-19.
- Among the four varieties of silk produced in 2018-19, Mulberry accounts for 71.50 per cent (25,213 MT), Tussar 8.44 per cent (2,977 MT), Eri 19.40 per cent (6,839 MT) and Muga 0.66 per cent (232 MT) of the provisional total raw silk production of 35,261 MT.
- Eri Silk – Eri silk is the product of the domesticated silkworm, Philosamia ricini that feeds mainly on castor leaves. Eri yarn is produced in Assam, Bihar, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland and West Bengal. Unlike other kind of silk, this cannot be reeled and hence it is only spun. It has natural copperish colour.
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