The Minister for Textiles ,Shri Shankersinh Vaghela announced today that a Comprehensive National Jute Policy would be framed soon .Speaking on the occasion of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee Meeting, he informed that consultations with jute growers, jute manufacturers ,traders , trade union leaders , jute growing states , NGO’s , and other government institutions had already taken place. The objectives of the policy would be to tackle the problems of jute cultivation , modernization of jute industry ,revamping the public sector and government institutions , diversification of jute products , availability of funds and export promotion.
The Minister also announced that the Planning Commission has given its approval in principle to the formation of a Jute Technology Mission with an outlay of Rs 458.34 crores, under the chairmanship of Secretary ,Textiles.The Mission will have four segments. The aim of the Mission is to provide a holistic approach to jute commodity system, its research, seed development , agronomic practices, harvesting ,post –harvesting techniques, jute processing ,diversified product development, marketing and distribution system.
The Ministry of Textiles has approved two special schemes for the development of jute in the North Eastern sector. The first scheme pertains to strengthening the North Eastern Regional Centre of Indian Jute Industries Research Association at Guwahati, with an outlay of Rs 5.88 crores over a period of five years. During the current financial year Rs 92 lakhs have been released to Indian Jute Industries Research Association . The other scheme pertains to the North Eastern component of the National Centre for Jute Diversification . So far Rs 53 lakhs have been released under this scheme.
The Minister informed that the Finance Ministry has agreed with the proposal of Ministry of Textiles to write off the outstanding loans tendered by Government of India to Jute Corporation of India.
Shri Vaghela while replying to a query raised by Shri Venkatesh Naik ,MP,Lok Sabha , on sick and closed jute mills said that this was due to outdated machinery and shortage of funds. To solve the problem , the Minister said that funds were being made available through the Jute Manufacturers Development Council Incentive Scheme for Modernisation of Jute Industry and the Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme. R & D efforts were also being taken through IJIRA . The MP was told that a Jute Technology Mission had been formulated to deal with various problems relating to jute.
The Minister while replying to a query raised by Shri Mohan Rawale on the condition of mills under NTC in Mumbai, the need for modernization and the issue of giving VRS to workers, said that a survey would be promptly undertaken and the issues resolved .
The Consultative Committee Meeting was attended by Shri Dhanuskodi Athithan, Shri A. Venkatesh Naik, Shri P.S. Gadhavi, Shri Mohan Rawale, MPs from Lok Sabha and Shri S. Anbalagan, M.P. from Rajya Sabbha.
(Release ID :5121)