The Minister of State for Textiles (I/C), Santosh Kumar Gangwar unveiled the plaque of the foundation stone for ‘Patsan Bhavan’, at Rajarhat, New Town, Kolkata. It is a proposed unified complex for housing all four HQ offices of the jute sector, namely, Jute Corporation of India, National Jute Manufacturers Corporation and National Jute Board and Office of the Jute Commissioner. The proposed nine-floor building of Patsan Bhawan at a cost of Rs. 70 crore will be constructed as a green building, to be completed within two years by the National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC).
On the occasion, the Minister said that jute production in the country is good – as a price higher than MSP for jute is available to the farmers. The Minister also launched the Common Facility Centre Scheme for promotion of diversified jute products. Five Common Facility Centres (CFCs) will be set up under Phase-I of the scheme – three in West Bengal and one each in Assam and Bihar. He also released a book on future prospect of diversification of Jute in terms of decorative, usable and geo-textile items. Minister met with the members of different self-help groups manufacturing jute items to earn their living.
