Srinagar, Sep 12 : The Jammu and Kashmir Sericulture Development Department on Saturday unveiled the second issue of its quarterly journal 'SILK KASH' 2026, with Director Sericulture Ajaz Ahmad Bhat asserting that sericulture holds immense potential as a viable and remunerative livelihood activity for rural households.

Unveiling the journal in the presence of senior officers and departmental staff here, Bhat emphasised the cost-effectiveness of silkworm rearing and its capacity to generate sustainable returns, according to an official statement.
He stressed the need for an intensive, result-oriented publicity and awareness campaign to disseminate information about the benefits and opportunities associated with silkworm rearing, making effective use of every available medium of communication and outreach.
The Director said the quarterly journal has been conceived as a dedicated knowledge and outreach platform aimed at showcasing best practices, documenting the achievements and success stories of progressive silkworm rearers, and creating greater awareness among stakeholders about various centrally sponsored schemes and flagship initiatives being implemented by the department.
He highlighted that programmes such as Silk Samagra-2 and the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) are being proactively implemented to strengthen the sericulture sector and extend the benefits of government interventions to stakeholders at the grassroots level, observing that an informed stakeholder community is fundamental to ensuring effective implementation of schemes and maximising their intended impact.
Through 'SILK KASH', Bhat said, the department seeks to bridge the information gap and ensure that silkworm rearers, farmers, silk reeling and weaving unit holders, educated youth, women and tribal communities remain adequately informed about available schemes, subsidies, training programmes, departmental facilities and technical support. Such timely access to information, he said, would enable stakeholders to make informed decisions and fully capitalise on the opportunities emerging in the sector.
The Director also underscored the importance of capacity building and continuous skill enhancement as key drivers for the sustainable growth and modernisation of sericulture in Jammu and Kashmir. He informed that focused efforts are being made to strengthen the capabilities of stakeholders through skill-upgradation programmes for departmental field functionaries, exposure visits for silkworm rearers and farmers, and targeted awareness camps for educated youth, women and tribal communities.
He expressed hope that 'SILK KASH' would evolve into an effective communication, knowledge-sharing and knowledge-dissemination platform, providing stakeholders with practical information, technological insights and greater awareness of the opportunities available in the sector, while also giving wider visibility to the achievements and initiatives of the Sericulture Department.
The unveiling of the journal marks another step towards strengthening communication, knowledge dissemination and stakeholder engagement with the broader objective of making sericulture a more attractive, productive and sustainable livelihood avenue across Jammu and Kashmir, the statement said.