Lok Sabha Question No. 1845 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-02-12
Subject: Labour unrest in Jute Mills
Ministry: TEXTILES
Asked by: Subhas Sarkar, Locket Chatterjee

## LABOUR UNREST IN JUTE MILLS

## 1845.  DR. SUBHAS SARKAR: MS. LOCKET CHATTERJEE:

Will the Minister of TEXTILES वस्त्र मंत्री be pleased to state :

(a) whether the Government has taken cognizance of an incident whereby several workers rampaged a jute  mill  in  West  Bengal  which  had  suspended  its  operations  recently,  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and reasons therefor;

(b)  whether the Government maintains any information on the number of jute mills that have closed down in West Bengal due to labour unrest and other reasons during the last three years;

(c) if so, the response of the Government thereto; and

(d)  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  boost  jute  sector  and  revive  closed  jute  mills  across  the country, State-wise including West Bengal?

## उत्तर

## ANSWER

## वस्त्र मंत्री ( श्रीमती स्मृतत ज़ूबिन इरानी )

## MINISTER OF TEXTILES (SMT. SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

(a): No  such  incidence  has  been  brought  to  the  notice  of  Central  Government  by  the  State Government.

(b): During the last three years only one Jute Mill namely  India Jute Mill was closed on 28/05/2018.

(c) & (d): The Government has taken a number of measures for strengthening the jute sector and for reviving the closed mills. A brief of the steps taken by the Government is as follows:

- i.) Creation of consistent demand of jute bags for jute mills under the Jute Packaging Materials (Compulsory  Use  in  Packing  Commodities)  [JPM  Act],  1987.  At  present,  100%  of  food grains and a minimum of 20% of sugar are to be compulsorily packed in jute sacking.
- ii.) Imposition of Anti-Dumping Duty on jute goods originating from Bangladesh and Nepal to protect domestic jute industry.
- iii.) Schemes for the welfare of farmers and jute sector:
1. Incentive Scheme for Acquisition of Plants and Machinery (ISAPM)  to facilitate modernization and up-gradation in existing and new jute mills/JDP units by way of capital subsidy.
2.  JUTE-ICARE (Improved Cultivation and Advanced Retting Exercise) to introduce package of scientific technique of Jute cultivation and retting exercises for improving fibre quality and productivity and reducing the cost of jute production and to increase income of jute farmers.
3.  Export  Market  Development  Assistance  Scheme  to  facilitate  registered  manufacturers  and exporters of jute products to participate in international fairs and business delegation abroad for export promotion of lifestyle and other JDPs and boost exports.
4. Retail Outlet of Jute Diversified Products and Bulk Supply Scheme to support supply chain and bulk supply of JDPs by the jute entrepreneurs.
5. Jute Integrated Development Scheme (JIDS) provides Basic, Advance and Design Development training programmes and rendering the backward and forward linkages to the existing  and  potential  entrepreneurs  at  grass-root  level  for  creating  and  sustaining  the  JDP units.
6. Jute Raw Material Bank (JRMB) Scheme with aims at accelerating the pace of JDP activities in the country by catering to need of MSME-JDP units for production of JDPs.
7.  Market  Promotion  Support  scheme  supports  jute  artisans,  entrepreneurs,  weavers,  NGOs, Women Self Help Groups (WSHGs) for selling, marketing and promotion of their products in India and abroad.
8.  Scheme  for  Promoting  usage  of  Geotechnical  Textiles  in  North  Eastern  Region  with  the objective to demonstrate use of Geotechnical Textiles as a modern cost effective technology in the development of infrastructure fragile geological conditions.
9. Jute Development  Programme  is  being  implemented  by  Department  of  Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare in 9 major jute growing states with a focus on cropping system approach under National Food Security Mission (NFSM) with an aim for enhancing production and productivity.

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