The Centre has taken a number of initiatives to ensure smooth supply of essential items during the lockdown period arising out of COVID-19 pandemic. The Textiles Ministry has taken measures to protect the produce of wheat farmers by providing them alternate packaging bags.
It has extended limit for High-Density PolyEthylene/Polypropylene bags from 1.80 lakh bales to 2.62 lakh to tide over crisis of packaging of foodgrains due to closure of jute mills due to lockdown. This move has been taken mainly to protect the interest of wheat farmers as grains are likely to be ready for packing mid of this month onwards. However, whenever the production of jute bags in the jute mills resumes after the lock down period is over, priority will be given to the jute bags for packaging of food grains.
To help jute farmers during the lock down period, Textiles Ministry has written to the all jute growing States to allow movement, sale and supply of jute seeds, fertilizers and other farming aids. Government is committed to protect the interest of the jute farmers and workers through provisions of the Jute Packaging Materials Act and it provides about 100 per cent reservation for packaging of food grains in jute bags.
Discussion about this post