Jute ind can get biz worth Rs 1,269 cr from roads: Maran

The jute industry can get a business worth Rs 1,260 crore in the government's ongoing programme to upgrade 21,000-km of national highways, Union Textiles Minister Dayanidhi Maran said here today.

"...Jute geotextiles can have a business potential of Rs 1,260 crore in the 21,000 kms national highway being upgraded by the government," Maran said at the launch of a project to encourage use of jute geotextiles.

Maran said jute geotextiles could also generate business worth Rs 868 crore under the Bharat Nirman and Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojana which envisages laying of 24,000 kms of road to connect rural India.

Maran also launched a $3.6 million jute geotextiles project aimed at identifying the use of jute in soil erosion and rural road construction.

Under the five-year project, field trials will be conducted in India and Bangladesh to certify and standardise the effectiveness of jute as geotextiles.

India will contribute $1.25 million, while Bangladesh and Amsterdam-based Common Fund for Commodities are the other main contributors.

The Indian jute economy supports nearly 40 lakh farmer families and 2.5 lakh industrial workers.