RAJYA SABHA - PRS

provision is only envisaged to be an enabling provision to be used during grave emergenciesthat might severely affect the functioning of the Board”.50. During the recent visit of the Committee to Hyderabad, the representatives of the Governmentof Andhra Pradesh apprised the Committee that the Jute is bast natural fibre and is an importantrenewal resource. Mesta is also a bast fibre but belongs to a separate breed called Kenaf. AndhraPradesh is an important home for Mesta (Kenaf) particularly in the districts of Vizianagaram andSrikakulam. In the Bill it is important that Jute should be defined to include Mesta specifically.Further, with the recent launch of Jute Technology Mission which also looks at fibres like ramie, sisal,it is important that the expression Jute is defined comprehensively keeping future developmentmilestones in mind. The Ministry of Textiles in its comments on the incorporation of a comprehensivedefinition on jute has stated that this requires a separate exercise to be completed in consultation withthe Ministry of Agriculture, Department of Science and Technology etc. Some of the natural fibreshave narcotic effects and therefore, bringing them into the ambit of the jute fibres will cause seriouscomplications. Therefore, including other fibres while defining jute in the National Jute Board Billmay cause complications instead of helping the jute fibres.Functioning of Jute Corporation of India51. During the study visits of the Committee to Guwahati, Kolkata, Bhubaneshwar andVijaynagaram (Andhra Pradesh) jute farmers have aired their views on the inadequacy of operations ofJute Corporation of India particularly in regard to less number of procurement centers operated by JCIand to procurement of very less amount of raw jute from farmers. They are of the view that JCI shouldprocure most of the raw jute produced by them.19