|
The jute sector has been playing an important role in the economy of the country in general and the eastern region in particular. About 4 million farmers, most of them small and marginal, are engaged in the cultivation of Jute and Mesta and about 2.61 lakh workers are employed in the jute industry.
The Central Government has formulated the National Jute Policy 2005 with an objective of increasing production, improving quality, ensuring remunerative prices to the jute farmers and enhancing per hectare yield.
The specific sectoral thrusts to achieve the aforesaid objectives are to:
(i) Enhance R & D efforts to improve yield and quality of jute fibre through better technology transfer and agronomic practices;
(ii) Accelerate modernization of the jute industry;
(iii) Restructure and revitalising the existing Public Sector Enterprises;
(iv) Revamp the Market Support Scheme to enhance the share of diversified jute products from 18 per cent o 35 per cent in next 10 years;
(v) Enhance R & D efforts to achieve higher degree of jute diversification;
(vi) Restructure and revamping existing public institutions and establishing new ones to give a fresh impetus to the jute sector and
(vii) Operationalise the Jute Technology Mission expeditiously.
The Jute Technology Mission, will become operational from this year with an outlay of Rs. 345.55 core. It will be operationalised through four Mini Missions of which Mini Mission – III pertaining to the development of efficient market linkages for raw jute; and Mini Mission-IV relating to modernization, technology upgradation, productivity improvement, diversification and development of human resource for the jute industry will be implemented by Ministry of Textiles. Mission-I and II will be implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture. The Jute Technology Mission (JTM) has been formulated in a manner that a holistic approach can be adopted for the jute commodity system under the Mission mode, which encompasses sub-systems pertaining to agricultural research and seed development, agronomic practices, harvesting and post harvesting techniques, primary and secondary processing of raw jute, diversified product development, market development and marketing and distribution.
The Jute Corporation of India (JCI) is the official agency designated to implement the Minimum Support Price purchase scheme for jute growers, and acts as stabilising agency in the raw jute sector. JCI has also been restructured. This includes capital restructuring amounting to Rs. 600 crore, which will enable it to borrow from financial institutions at reasonable rates and thereby improve its profitability and operations. The incentives given to its employees will also enhance productivity of the organization. JCI is in the process of signing an MOU with Government of India to improve its functional parameters.
The National Jute Manufactures Corporation (NJMC) was incorporated in 1980 and it has six nationalized jute mills under its management with five in West Bengal and one at Katihar, Bihar. The NJMC has been suffering cash losses since its inception. During the year a Revival Package has been approved for this chronically sick PSE which includes:
· VRS to all the employees at an estimated cost of Rs. 978 crore and
· Revival of 2 mills in consultation with the Board for Reconstruction of Public Sector Enterprises (BRPSE).
The National Centre for Jute Diversification (NCJD) gives focused attention to consolidation of R & D results of various institutes in Jute and textiles and transfers these to various entrepreneurs for commercial production of diverse jute items. The NCJD entrepreneurs provide technical, financial and infrastructural support and marketing of jute diversified products. Some of the new initiatives taken by the NCJD are:
i) Implementation of ECOPACK trademark.
ii) Development of high value jute footwear material.
iii) Support to NGOs in jute diversification for design product development and marketing.
iv) Development of eco-friendly and value added jute materials with the help of Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.
v) Blending of wool and jute for product development and diversification.
Although jute is used extensively in packing and handicrafts, research is also proving that jute has a bright future in the field of geo-textiles especially in its application to construction of roads.
*Inputs from the Ministry of Textiles
|
