Textile Ministry to consider specific policies for jute sector

Kolkata, Sep 7 (KNN) Union Textile Minister Smriti Irani met the stakeholders of the Jute industry and assured that the ministry will consider specific policies, both long term and short term, to revive the jute sector.

"We are trying to find out what can be done through long-term policy intervention to promote the jute sector. There will be separate brainstorming sessions with jute mill owners and farmers," textile secretary Rashmi Verma said after the meeting on Tuesday.

Verma said a roadmap will be prepared to give a positive fillip to the sector

Verma said jute mills have raised issues like intense competition and cheap Bangladeshi import while jute balers said they were receiving late payments from mills, and in turn farmers’ compensation was also being delayed.

Other issues raised at the meeting included the dilution of mandatory packing under the jute packaging materials act, stability in prices of the raw fibre, modernisation of the industry and promotion of diversified jute products.

The meeting was attended by the members of Indian Jute Mills Association, Jute Balers' Association, National Jute Board and the members of trade unions along with representations from farmers and other stakeholders. MPs from areas where jute mills are located were also present.

Meanwhile, Trinamul MP Sukehndu Sekhar Roy, present at the meeting, said the mandatory jute packaging act should not be diluted under any circumstance as the livelihood of lakhs of people depended on it.

He pointed that the party has asked the Centre to take a balanced approach so that the mills are not closed in the name of disciplinary action.