State min seeks CM's intervention against Centre's plan to replace jute packaging for wheat

KOLKATA: State Labour minister Becharam Manna has sought the intervention of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee with the Central government planning to use synthetic bags for packaging of wheat. The Centre has alleged that Bengal is unable to supply jute bags as per the demand.

According to the minister, the decision if implemented will be a major blow to the jute industry in the state. "The Centre has not discussed anything about this matter with the state and the minister apprehends that the Ministry of Food and Public Distribution may take such decision in an arbitrary manner and place orders for synthetic bags," a senior official of the Labour department said.

Principal secretary of the department Barun Kumar Ray has also written to state chief secretary HK Dwivedi regarding the matter.

Union food secretary and textile secretary have convened a meeting on the issue in Delhi on Thursday. Representatives from Indian Jute Mills Association (IJMA) will be present in the meeting.

" We will portray the supply position of jute at present. If there is demand for more bags for packaging purposes, synthetic bags can be used for plugging the supply demand gap. But, we will advocate that total dispensing of jute bags will be a blow to the industry," Raghavendra Gupta, chairman of IJMA said.