The West Bengal government has requested for more time to respond to the Centre regarding its further jute dilution plan, since raids and action against alleged stockpiling of jute by mills and traders. According to the sources, the Centre has proposed four lakh bales for dilution, apart from 1.34 lakh bales it had already notified earlier.
State Labour Minister Moloy Ghatak is said to be talking to the ministry on behalf of West Bengal government. Sources add that the state Enforcement Department has already raided three jute mills out of 17 mills and is monitoring 48 traders. The industry has witnessed closure of 12 jute mills with 70,000 jute workers losing their jobs.
Raw jute crisis has forced the government's jute procurement plan for the forthcoming Rabi crop season up to March 2016 to get diverted in favour of plastics as packaging material for food items. The government has already diluted 1.34 lakh bales or 10 per cent of the proposed 13.34 lakh bales in December 2015 to April 2016 period. If the proposal to dilute additional four lakh bales gets a green signal, it will go in favour of plastics resulting in further unemployment in the state.
