Flight of labourers during pandemic hampering Bengal jute mills functioning

Indian Jute Mills Association in a letter to the state labour minister Moloy Ghatak has sought permission for putting women in the Shift C (10 pm-6 am) in the jute mills. It has also asked for employing temporary workers without provident fund for a period of six months.

Kolkata: Facing shortage of labourers due to mass exodus of workforce to their home states of Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha during pandemic, an apex body of the jute mills has sought permission from the West Bengal government to put women workers in the night shift.

It has also asked for employing temporary workers without provident fund for a period of six months.

Though the state government has permitted jute mills to restart work with 100 per cent workers attendance from June 1, the mills are at present operating with only 60-70 per cent strength as workers are yet to return from their native places.

Indian Jute Mills Association in a letter to the state labour minister Moloy Ghatak has sought permission for putting women in the Shift C (10 pm-6 am) in the mills.

Among other demands, the jute mills' body has sought permission to employ temporary workers without provident fund for a period of six months, Association's chairman Raghav Gupta told.

"There isn't much demand for apprenticeship also. Before engaging new comers, we have to train them, Gupta said.

However, sources said the state government has simply dumped the demands.

Women are not allowed to work in the night shift in West Bengal industries, barring that in the Information Technology sector.

Jute is crucial for Bengal's economy as some three lakhs workers are directly dependent on the jute mills. West Bengal is the biggest producer of jute in the country.

Jute mills are largely located in South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas, Hoogly and Howrah districts of the state.

PTI