Kolkata: Against the backdrop of a deepening crisis in the state’s jute industry—caused by a shortage of raw jute, alleged hoarding by unscrupulous traders and rising input costs—State Labour minister Moloy Ghatak on Saturday chaired a meeting of key stakeholders to review the situation and explore remedies.
Ghatak said the crisis has been aggravated by what he described as the Centre’s “anti-labour policies” and Bangladesh’s curbs on raw jute exports to India. He noted that 11–12 jute mills have already shut down, while several others are on the brink of closure, threatening the livelihoods of thousands of workers.
It was decided that the Jute Commissioner would take steps to curb illegal hoarding of raw jute, with the state government offering support if needed. Ghatak said that if Bangladesh continues to restrict exports, the Centre must consider measures to prevent Bangladeshi jute products from entering the Indian market.
The Jute Commissioner has been asked to act accordingly.
The state Agriculture Department was directed to ensure adequate jute production in the coming season. The minister also made it clear that mills declaring suspensions or reducing shifts without prior intimation to the Labour Department would have to declare a ‘layoff’ and pay statutory compensation. The meeting was attended by the Jute Commissioner, representatives of trade unions, employers’ associations, the Indian Jute Mills Association (IJMA) and officials from concerned departments. In recent days, the Labour Department has held several meetings with stakeholders.
Following the minister’s intervention, mill authorities cleared long-pending Dearness Allowance dues of workers in several mills, as ordered by the Labour Commissioner. Unions, which had called a strike on January 12, temporarily withdrew it after the talks.
Further discussions are scheduled for Wednesday, January 14, with representatives of labour unions, IJMA and jute mill managements expected to attend.