Amit Mitra likely to attend key meeting on jute crisis

The Indian Jute Mills Association had sought a meeting of GoM to resolve the impasse. Issues like the present situation due to the price rise and raw jute traders' strike against the decision to fix stock limit at 500 quintals are likely to be discussed in the meeting, the sources said.

A Group of Ministers (GoM) meeting has been convened on Friday to discuss the jute sector crisis arising out of price rise of raw jute and traders' strike against a cap on stock limit, officials said. GoM chairman and West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra is likely to be a part of the virtual meeting, sources said.

A labour department notification said an urgent meeting of the group of ministers will be held on Friday. The Indian Jute Mills Association had sought a meeting of GoM to resolve the impasse.

Issues like the present situation due to the price rise and raw jute traders' strike against the decision to fix stock limit at 500 quintals are likely to be discussed in the meeting, the sources said. If the Jute Balers Association continues with the strike that commenced on Monday, it will force mills to close down due to shortage of raw jute and render lakhs of workers jobless, they said.

It would also cause a major impediment for the government's foodgrain procurement in several states. West Bengal procures between one lakh and two lakh bales of jute bags a year and the backlog is to the tune of 50 per cent, the sources added.