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| Centre sets up panel for jute industry revival |
| Namrata Acharya / Kolkata Apr 11, 2009, 00:07 IST |
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In order to revive the jute industry, the Union government has set up a high level committee with representatives from the Union finance and labour ministries, West Bengal government, labour unions and the The Indian Jute Mills Association (IJMA).
The committee would examine issues pertaining to costing, statutory obligations and agreement, and training in the jute industry, under three different sub-committees, and submit a detailed report on each of the aspects within a month's time, said Sanjay Kajaria, chairman, IJMA.
While the committee on costing is being headed by a representative from the Union finance ministry, that on statutory obligations and agreement is under the labour ministry. The sub-committee on training is working under the state labour commission.
Recently, IJMA had also appointed Ernst & Young for a detailed study on the revival of the jute industry.
The jute industry has been witnessing labour unrest and frequent strikes over the last few years on issues like non-payment of standing provident fund (PF) and gratuity dues.
In May last year, a personal manager of a jute mill in Titagarh, North 24-Parganas, was battered to death in his office on the mill premises, while the Sangrami Mazdoor Union (SMU) conducted protests in the premises.
The shrinking demand for jute in the packaging industry has also been a cause of concern for jute mill owners.
At present, there are about 59 jute mills in Kolkata, and 52 are operating. The rest, mostly owned by the government, are under lock-out due to the paucity of funds. Even in operating jute mills, the production has been falling.
Moreover, due to the advent of plastics and the inability of the mill owners to diversify and implement modern means of production, while taking the workers into confidence, the jute industry has been shrinking in the state.
The industry has also been relying on political support to maintain 100 per cent reservation for jute usage in sugar and foodgrain packaging, under the Jute Materials Packaging Act (JPMA), for several years. However, the unavailability of jute sacking material in the peak season often leads to the violation of the Act. West Bengal accounts for more than 85 per cent of the jute production in the country.
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