Kolkata Jan 30 PTI The trade union wing of the West Bengals ruling Trinamool Congress on Sunday accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of restricting jute bag usage for packaging of foodgrains to promote plastic materials Indian National Trinamool Trade Union Congress also alleged that the restrictive policy is part of the Centres anti-Bengal conspiracy to ruin the jute sector in the state Ultimately gunny bag usage will be stopped and replaced by plastic materials It is the BJP-led governments blueprint to promote plastics INTTUCs state president Ritabrata Banerjee told PTI The Centre however approved reservation norms for mandatory use of the golden fibre in packaging for the Jute Year 2021-22 in November 2021 The norms provide for 100 per cent reservation for foodgrains and 20 per cent for sugar to be compulsorily packed in jute bags West Bengal Labour Minister Becharam Manna had earlier said the Centre did not pay heed to the Mamata Banerjee governments advice to relax a cap on raw jute price Jute mill sources also claimed that the central government has fixed the raw jute price and procurement rate of finished gunny bags while no restriction was clamped on the use of high-density polyethylene HDPE bags or plastic materials even though there was a sharp price rise of these items The government has estimated 12 lakh bales of HDPE bags for the Rabi crop season 2021-22 a jute mill owner said A plastic bag is cheaper but can only be used once while jute bags are expensive but can be reusable thus making the environment-friendly packaging material cost-effective in the long run he said The jute commissioner has fixed raw jute price for mills at Rs 6500 per quintal while traders are offering the commodity at Rs 7000 and above according to industry sources This has led to a shortage of raw jute for manufacturing of hessian bags and closure of mills Around 60000 labourers have lost their jobs the mill owner claimed The Centre put the cap on raw jute price to stop hoarding of the commodity but the move has failed to ease market price of the material he added PTI BSM BDC BDC

Kolkata Dec 24 PTI Howrah Delta Jute Mill which has been closed since November last year is going to reopen from December 25 bringing joy to over 3000 workers of the mill This was decided in a special meeting held with the representatives of the employers and the workers union under the mediation of the West Bengal Labour Minister Becharam Manna In the meeting it was decided that Delta Jute Mill in Howrah would lift the suspension from Saturday and production in the mill would start from January 12 the minister said About 3200 workers work in the jute mill PTI BSM RG RG

Kolkata Oct 26 PTI West Bengal Labour minister Becharam Manna on Tuesday offered to form an expert committee involving all stakeholders including government officials mill management and labour representatives to deal with the problems of the jute industry The stakeholders also echoed in support of the proposal at the meeting The expert committee will deal with issues of the jute industry with labour welfare and mills viability Labour unions raised the issue of inadequate wages housing problems and welfare schemes Mill management officials vouched for allowing women labourers at night shift and called for labour reforms Manna assured that the state government is committed to resolving the issues and sought the support of all stakeholders to help the jute industry flourish in the state PTI BSM RG RG