Mamata opposes dilution in jute packaging

Railways Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee has voiced her opposition to the proposed 25 per cent dilution in the use of jute bags for packaging of food grains and sugar by the government procuring agencies.

“I do not support the proposed 25 per cent dilution in use of jute bags under the Jute Packaging Materials Act of 1987 and will oppose the proposal when it is taken up for discussion. We shall fight for the jute industry”, she said in an interactive session with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci) held recently.

Banerjee is expected to oppose the dilution plan when it is taken up for discussion at the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) which is likely to be held soon.

The 25 per cent dilution in JPMA was made by the Standing Advisory Committee (SAC) chaired by the Union textiles secretary.

The committee was of the view that raw jute production for 2009-10 would be 90 lakh bales and this was inadequate to meet the requirement of government procurement agencies for packaging of food grains and sugar. The Union textiles ministry is understood to have sent a note recently to the CCEA, upholding the move of the committee on the dilution issue.

“The issue of the proposed dilution belongs to a separate ministry and the jute industry needs to approach the concerned ministry for redressal of their grievances. We are in a coalition government but I do not back the proposed 25 per cent dilution”, said Banerjee.

It may be noted that the Trinamool Congress led by Banerjee and consisting of 18 Members of Parliament (MPs) is the largest coalition partner in the Congress led UPA government at the Centre.

Of the 19 MPs of Trinamool Congress, 10 hail from the jute growing areas spread over five districts of West Bengal.

Indian Jute Mills Association (IJMA), the apex body of jute mills across the country had earlier approached three Cabinet Ministers- Sharad Pawar, Mamata Banerjee and Pranab Mukherjee and voiced its concerns on the dilution issue.

IJMA had also sought the intervention of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for reversal of the proposed 25 per cent dilution.

The demand for reversal of the 25 per cent dilution was raised by IJMA keeping in view the interests of more than 4 million jute cultivators and 2.5 million jute workers across the country.