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(a) whether the Government are aware of the severe problems being faced by Indian Rubber Industry;
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(b) if so, the details thereof;
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(c) the steps taken / being taken by the Government to solve the problems of rubber growers;
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(d) whether any proposal formulating a fresh rubber policy is under consideration; and
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(e) if so, the details thereof?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY ( SHRI DIGVIJAY SINGH )
(a) & (b) : Due to decline in prices of Natural Rubber owing to slow down in consumption and recession in the consuming industry, the rubber growers are not getting the price for Natural Rubber which they were getting 2-3 years before.
(c) to ( e ) : In order to stabilise the price of Natural Rubber and to ensure a reasonable price to the growers for their produce the Govt. of India had made a market intervention in 1997-2000 through STC and procured around 53687 MT of Natural Rubber. To increase the usage of indigenous natural rubber, the Government of India is promoting a number of value-added rubber items such as Natural Rubber Modified Bitumen for rubberisation of roads. Import of natural rubber under the Advance Licence Scheme has also been banned w.e.f. 20.2.1999 with a view to enhance the consumption of the domestic rubber by the user industry for meeting its export commitments. All these measures are part of the overall policy for promotion and Development of Natural Rubber Sector.