Roadmap to be prepared for welfare of jute industry

Union Minister of Textiles Smriti Zubin Irani on Tuesday participated in a meeting with jute stakeholders’ at Kolkata to discuss various strategies that can be adopted for short-term mitigation of the problems being faced by the jute industry as well as policy interventions that can revive the jute sector in long term as the the economy of West Bengal is highly dependent on growth of the jute industry.

The Minister obtained feedback on the ground level problems confronting the workers, mill-owners and other stakeholders.

The Secretary of Union Ministry of Textiles Rashmi Verma, who was also present in the meeting said that more such brain storming session is needed and will be held for overall betterment of jute industry.

The government would also try to devise solutions for short-term issues affecting the sector after further detailed meetings.

At the meeting, decision to prepare a roadmap for welfare of jute industry has been adopted.

Apart from the mill- owners and workers associations, Jute Commissioner Subrata Gupta was also present along with other stakeholders of the jute industry in the meeting.

Trinamool Rajya Sabhya MP Sukehndu Sekhar Roy, who was also present at the meeting, said that under no circumstances the mandatory Jute Packaging Act should be diluted as livelihood of lakhs of people was associated with it.