Latest News | West Bengal Govt Asks Jute Commissioner to Raid Raw Jute Hoarders

Kolkata, May 28 (PTI) In a bid to reopen the 16 closed jute mills in the state and protect other mills from closure, West Bengal Labour minister Becharam Manna on Friday asked the Jute Commissioner to carry out immediate raids on raw jute hoarders.

He said the state government will offer full administrative support to the Jute Commissioner in carrying out raids on raw jute hoarders.

The state government at an emergency meeting also ordered zero holding of raw jute by balers, traders and mills to ensure equitable availability of raw jute to all mills. Moreover, the step will also benefit the Union government directly in lowering their procuring cost of gunny bags used in foodgrain packaging.

According to state government intelligence current stock will be between three and five lakh bales of raw jute while balers at the meeting claimed just 1.5 lakh bales.

"We have ordered zero stock balance. This will prevent hoarding and ensure the availability of raw jute for all the mills. The government wants to protect the jute industry and its workers," Manna told PTI after the emergency meeting.

"I have asked the Jute Commissioner to carry out an intense de-hoarding drive and the state government will offer all administrative support," he said.

Some jute mills have lauded the action and hoped the raw jute crisis would ease till the new crop comes by July-end or early August.

Mill owners said 16 jute mills have closed and many more mills are at the brink of closure due to the raw jute crisis.

The state government had relaxed maximum workforce criteria to 40 per cent from 30 per cent on Thursday.

The high price of raw jute and COVID-19 led restrictions had raised the backlog of jute bag supply to state and central agencies. The Union government dilutes order in favour of plastic bags when the jute industry fails in its commitment.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)