New Delhi/ Kolkata: West Bengal Labour Minister Arjun Singh has urged the Centre to revise the pricing of B Twill jute bags and address payment concerns over July supply orders, saying the issues directly affect jute mills’ ability to pay wages and puja bonuses.
In a recent letter to Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh, he sought a review and fresh notification of August 2026 prices in line with the Tariff Commission formula approved by the Union Cabinet in August 2024.
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The state minister said prices notified by the Office of the Jute Commissioner did not conform to the approved formula or adequately account for mills’ raw jute procurement costs. He also sought adjustment of the price differential for supplies already made.
Singh separately flagged the application of lower August prices to quantities covered by production control and supply orders (PCSOs) issued in July. The orders were placed late in the month, leaving mills insufficient time to complete manufacturing and inspection within the stipulated period, he said.
Although delivery deadlines were subsequently extended, applying the lower August rate to these supplies had a substantial financial impact on mills, according to the letter.
The minister requested that July 2026 prices apply to July orders inspected within a reasonable period, taking into account their delayed placement. This should include consignments inspected on or before August 7, he said.
To prevent similar disputes, Singh proposed a minimum manufacturing and inspection window of 30 days from the date of an order. Where delivery deadlines are extended because orders were issued late, the price prevailing in the month of placement should continue to apply, he suggested.
An early resolution would provide immediate relief to mills and help them meet their obligations to workers, the minister said. He sought a meeting involving the Ministry of Textiles, the Jute Commissioner, the state Labour Department and industry representatives, preferably before puja bonus payments become due.
Former Indian Jute Mills Association (IJMA) chairman Sanjay Kajaria welcomed the intervention but called for concrete action on pricing and payments.
“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.
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The minister’s letter followed an IJMA representation raising concerns over B Twill bag prices and the financial impact of applying August rates to July orders.
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