Central Silk Board (CSB) Member Secretary and Managing Director P. Sivakumar.
The National Fiber Programme, announced by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during the 2026-27 budget presentation on February 1, aims to integrate various schemes for natural fibers such as silk, wool and jute along with man-made and novel fibers under the Ministry of Textiles.
While the details of the integrated scheme covering various natural and man-made fibers have not been revealed, Central Silk Board (CSB) member secretary P. Sivakumar said that there are currently schemes to promote individual natural fibers such as silk, wool or jute. However, the proposed National Fiber Program will be an umbrella program of the Ministry of Textiles for all natural and man-made fibers such as polyester fibers and new age fibers.
“Our aim is to double the country’s textile value chain from the current $170 billion to $350 billion by 2030,” Sivakumar told The Hindu.
“To achieve this, we need intervention at every level. At the level of raw materials, industry, marketing, etc. We need to ensure international visibility,” he said.
Dr. Naresh Babu, joint secretary, CSB, said the scheme aims to cover all activities across the entire value chain, from land to textiles. He mentioned that the specifics of the scheme are currently being worked out.
Dr. Babu said the program would also aim to promote exports of goods made from these fibers.
Referring to the example of silk, which is an important natural fiber, Dr. Babu said that India is the second largest producer of raw silk in the world after China, but it aims to become the global leader by 2030. This program will definitely help the country, which currently produces around 39,000 metric tons of raw silk annually, to achieve its target of 0203 tons of 50 silk.
Published – February 2, 2026 0:06 AM IST
