Meghalaya CM to launch Umden Eri Silk Cluster 

Shillong, Sep 8 : The Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE) is all set to implement Meghalaya's Umden Eri Silk Cluster project sponsored by the Union Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME). 

Meghalaya Chief Minister DD Lapang will formally launch the cluster on September 11 at DUYA auditorium, Diwon, Ri Bhoi District. 

In this cluster development programme, various interventions such as providing support to the indigenous artisans, setting up common facility centre, work shed, financial linkages, product diversification through designers' intervention, market linkages, skill upgradation and training programmes for the Eri cultivators will be made. 

IIE through its Regional Resource Centre on Cluster Development has implemented cluster development in a big way since last two years. The institute has 24 clusters throughout the eight states of North East. 

In Meghalaya, the institute identified an Eri silk cluster in Umden which has great potential to be converted to an Eri hub of Meghalaya. 

So far it has formed 25 Self Help Groups and has been successful in providing financial linkages to these SHGs. It has also formed a Cluster Development Coordination Group (CDCG) under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner, Ri Bhoi, who will closely monitor the cluster activities and will also act as an advisory body to the cluster. 

Umden Eri Silk Cluster is one of the 24 clusters under the Regional Resources Centre on Cluster development, IIE. The unique characteristic of this cluster which makes it different from the rest is the availability of skilled artisans and age old traditional methods of weaving and natural dyeing. 

The area is suitable for rearing of silk worms. Almost every household in this area practices cocoon cultivation, rearing, spinning, dyeing and weaving. 

Besides, as the use of natural dyeing of yarn is one of the prime strengths of the cluster, intervention framework has been designed for development of this cluster as a natural dyeing hub with the latest technology.