(a) Whether the Government have brought about any changes in the jute procurement policy in the recent past;
(b) If so, the details thereof;
(c) Whether the Government have any plans to give a fresh look into the existing jute procurement policy in order to benefit the jute growers;
(d) If so, the time by which a decision is likely to be taken; and
(e) If not, the reasons therefor?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF TEXTILES (SHRI BASANAGOUDA R. PATIL (YATNAL)
(a) No, Sir.
(b) Does not arise.
(c) No Sir.
(d) Does not arise.
(e) The present Minimum Support Policy of the Government is intended to benefit jute growers. The Jute Corporation of India (JCI) is the nodal agency for implementing the Minimum Support Price (MSP) Policy for the jute growers. Whenever, the prices of raw jute fall below MSP levels, JCI intervenes in the market through its own purchase centers numbering 171 and through cooperatives societies in the jute growing states. There is no proposal at the moment, to change the current procurement policy.