The Hindu Business Line : Buddhadeb asks jute sector to diversify

THE West Bengal Chief Minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, has advised jute mill owners in the State to diversify their production to non-traditional items if they want to remain in the business. The Chief Minister said that there had been pressure from synthetic bag manufacturers on the Central and state governments to replace gunny bags with synthetic bags for packing cement, sugar, fertilisers and even foodgrain.

Mr Bhattacharjee felt that in the emerging scenario, jute mill owners ideally should diversify to non-traditional products including blended fabrics. Inaugurating the silver jubilee celebrations of the West Bengal Consultancy Organisation Ltd (WEBCON) on Tuesday, he said jute played a major role in the State's economy. Altogether 57 mills were still running and a few lakh farmers and traders were still dependent on this cash crop. The mill owners need to come forward with a product diversification plan, failing which both the industry and the State's economy would have to suffer.

Highlighting the good progress achieved in Private-Public partnership in the housing sector, he said the Government was now keen to welcome private sector in development of roads and bridges. He also invited private investors to take up plantation of medicinal plants in Darjeeling district.

He said the State Government was determined to close down the State-controlled sick undertakings. A total of 18 such undertakings have been identified, and WEBCOM has been asked to find out ways to best utilise gainfully the land available through such closure of the sick outfits.

The Chief Minister said that the Union Tourism Ministry had approved the State's proposal for developing "tea tourism" in North Bengal.

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