The Jharkhand State Khadi Board has started manufacturing silk sarees using the famous tasar (silk) of the state, an official said.

Jharkhand is one of the largest producers of tasar in the country.

A spokesperson of the Chief Minister's Office said that after the order of Chief Minister Hemant Soren, the Jharkhand State Khadi Board has started producing tasar (silk) sarees.

For the first time, the production of tasar sarees has been started at the board's production and training Centre at Chandil, he said.

The official said that weaving of tasar threads and then its designing is being done in the Chandil centre. Presently production is in limited quantity but gradually there is a plan to increase its production.

The board is now concentrating on the production of sarees in the training and production centres of Amda and Kuchai also. This will provide employment to the weavers of the state and market to the sarees made in Jharkhand.

It is taking about three days for the weavers to make a saree at the Chandil Training and Production Centre.

Tasar of the Kuchai region of Jharkhand is considered to be the best in quality. The tasar threads of Kuchai are being used to make sarees.

Jharkhand Khadi Board is not only encouraging the local handloom and handicrafts industry of the state but is also working to connect and empower the weavers, handicraftsmen here with employment. Sewing machines were distributed among 329 women in different districts of the state under the Shilpi Employment Scheme.

The women are being given six months training. During this period, they are also given a stipend of Rs 150 per day.

He said that apart from sewing machines, lac bangles, dokra art items, equipment for making paper bags were also distributed.