Commercial Jute Seed Distribution Scheme launched

The Union Textile Minister, Smriti Irani, has launched the commercial Jute seed distribution scheme on February 15, 2021.

Key Facts

• The Commercial Jute Seed Distribution Scheme was launched in the backdrop of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Jute Corporation of India and the National Seeds Corporation.
• The MoU was signed in the year 2020 for the commercial distribution of 1 thousand Metric Tonne certified jute seeds in the year 2021-22.
• The Union Minister while rolling out the scheme highlighted that the central government has also increased the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Jute in order to help Jute farmers in the country.
• MSP has been increased by nearly 76 per cent in the period of last 6 years.
• Currently, the MSP for Jute has been kept at 4 thousand 225 rupees in the financial year 2020-21. This price has been doubled when compared to MSP of 2 thousand 400 in the year 2014-15.
• The textile minister also stated that the highly productive variant of Jute seeds will help to enhance the income of nearly 5 lakh Jute farmers across the country.

Recent Developments

The textile minister also said that both the Agriculture Ministry and the Textile Ministry has been working and enhancing the synergy in order to extend its support to the Jute growing farmers. Recently, the centre took the decision of mandatory packaging in jute materials. This move will benefit over 4 lakh farmers. It will also help nearly 40 lakh Agri-based households. Further, excavation for Jute-retting tanks has been included under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). This move will help in creating 46 lakh days of work for the farmers.

About Jute

It is a natural fibre having a golden, soft, long, and silky shine. Jute is the cheapest fibre which is procured from skin of the plant’s stem. Jute is also called as the golden fibre. The Golden Fibre Revolution in India is associated to the jute production. Jute industry is one among the oldest textile industries in India that involved directly or indirectly a large chunk of people.

Month: Current Affairs - February, 2021