NCJD pushing jute diversified products

National Centre for Jute Diversification (NCJD), set up under the ministry of textiles of the government of India (GoI), has devised schemes to provide forward and backward linkages to enterprises.

NCJD has already set up 18 jute service centre and five jute service extension centres in 16 states to meet the training needs of beneficiaries in rural areas, and women in particular.

NCJD has also set up 34 raw material banks for providing information and creating awareness about entrepreneurial opportunities. It will be selling jute yarns in small quantities to micro units as well.

The number of units supported by NCJD was 1260 in 2003-04, the organisation said in its report.

To provide better market access to small entrepreneurs, NCJD said it had launched a sales outlet scheme under which four outlets had been opened in four metros.

These significantly enhanced sales of jute diversified products (JDP), claimed NCJD.

Domestic sales of JDP through NCJD's direct promotion activities grew around 66 per cent to Rs 1. 38 crore in 2003-04 from Rs 82 lakh in the last financial year. NCJD's sales in 2003-04 rose to Rs 4.31 lakh from Rs 1.70 lakh in 2001-02.

In addition to Rs 66 lakh worth of orders commissioned to traders and exporters, NCJD said it had made direct sale of Rs 25 lakh on behalf of its beneficiaries in the first half of the current financial year.

To encourage entrepreneurs to take up manufacture of JDP, NCJD launched a micro finance scheme (MFS) for providing support to small entrepreneurs, self help groups (SHGs) and non government organisations (NGOs).

NCJD could extend capital subsidy upto 15 per cent of cost and machinery for large projects, up to a limit of Rs 5 crore.

NCJD said in its report that there had been significant growth in demand for JDP in international markets, particularly United States, Belgium, Italy, Germany, United Kingdom and Australia.

This was because jute goods were environmentally friendly and naturally biodegradable.