Bengal labour minister seeks Centre's intervention on jute bag pricing ahead of puja bonus
West Bengal Labour Minister Arjun Singh has sought the Centre's intervention to resolve the pricing dispute over B Twill jute bags, saying the issue has a direct bearing on the ability of jute mills to pay workers' wages and puja bonuses.
In a recent letter to Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh, the Bengal minister urged the Centre to review and re-notify the price of B Twill jute bags for August 2026 in line with the Tariff Commission formula approved by the Union Cabinet in August 2024.
He said the price notified by the Office of the Jute Commissioner did not correspond with the approved formula and did not adequately account for the cost incurred by mills in procuring raw jute.
The minister also sought adjustment of the differential amount for supplies that have already been made.
Singh raised concerns over production control and supply orders (PCSOs) issued in July, saying the orders were placed late in the month, leaving mills with limited time to complete manufacturing and inspection within the stipulated period.
Though the delivery deadline was subsequently extended, the lower August rate was applied to quantities covered by the July orders, causing a substantial financial impact on mills, he said.
The minister requested that the July 2026 rate be retained for July PCSO quantities where inspection was completed within a reasonable period necessitated by the delayed placement of orders, including consignments inspected on or before August 7.
He also proposed prescribing a minimum 30-day manufacturing and inspection window from the date a PCSO is placed. If delivery is extended because of delayed orders, the rate applicable in the month of order placement should continue to apply, he suggested.
An early resolution of the pricing issues would provide immediate relief to jute mills and help them meet their obligations towards workers, Singh said.
He also sought an early meeting involving officials of the Ministry of Textiles, the Jute Commissioner, the state Labour Department and industry representatives, preferably before puja bonus payments become due.
The letter followed a representation by the Indian Jute Mills Association (IJMA), which had raised concerns over the pricing of B Twill bags and the financial impact of applying the August rate to July orders.
Former IJMA chairman Sanjay Kajaria welcomed the intervention but said the Centre needed to act quickly.
"The jute sector has suffered for the past two years, and expectations from the double-engine government are high. We welcome the Labour minister's intervention, but it must now translate into fair pricing and timely payments. With puja approaching, workers and their families need relief, not uncertainty," Kajaria said.
