India can become one of the largest jute exporters: Smriti Irani
Kolkata, May 31: Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani on Thursday claimed that India has the potential to become one of the largest jute exporters in the diversified section, if the quality of the raw material can be improved.
The minister also urged the jute industry to bolster the centre's initiative in providing certified jute seeds to the farmers that would produce better quality crop.
"When we look at jute, we wonder why our jute industry has not galloped ahead like Bangladesh. One of our biggest challenges has been the output of the raw material which is not fine enough for enhanced diversification," Irani said while addressing the members of the Merchants' Chamber of Commerce here.
The minister pointed out that the agricultural ministry and the textile ministry invited all state governments to ensure that certified seeds are given to the jute farmers through every Krishi Vigyan Kendras (the agricultural extension centres created by the Indian Council for Agricultural Research to provide farm support).
"I would encourage the jute industry to become a participant in that endeavour, so that the productivity and income of the farmer increases and at the same time our crop becomes finer and better for more diversification," she said.
Pointing out that India is the largest jute producing country in the world, she said "we have the potential to become one of the largest jute exporters in the diversified section".
The Union Minister said the Centre is providing support to the partners of the jute industry, who have enhanced the diversification of jute products so that they can be self sufficient and do not have to completely rely on the government's support.
She also highlighted the importance of the newly emerged technical textile sector and hoped the Bengal textile industry that contributes to more than five percent of the overall national textile segment will be a huge participant in the development of this sector.
"The Centre has an apparel package for the first time in the history of the country of up to Rs 6,000 crore. This is the largest ever sanction in the textile industry in this country," she pointed out.
Irani said an outlay of Rs 690 crore has helped set up 21 readymade garment manufacturing (RGM) units in the seven northeastern states at the end of last year under the direction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They have become fully functional.
Referring to the GST refund or 'refund Pakhwada' that would take place from May 31 to June 14 this year, she said a simplified mechanism for the small importers has been put in place, that would enable more people in the MSME sector to get the refund and help increase the ease of doing business.
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NATO, others turn down US call for help in Hormuz: Trump
Washington (PTI): President Donald Trump on Tuesday said NATO and most of US' other allies have rejected his calls to help secure the Strait of Hormuz as the war with Iran entered the third week.
In a social media post, Trump asserted that Iran’s military has been “decimated” and he no longer felt the need for assistance from NATO countries or anyone else.
Last week, Trump had sought help from European nations and others who depend on oil supplies transiting from the Hormuz Strait to safeguard the critical waterway.
“The United States has been informed by most of our NATO “Allies” that they don’t want to get involved with our Military Operation against the Terrorist Regime of Iran, in the Middle East, this, despite the fact that almost every Country strongly agreed with what we are doing, and that Iran cannot, in any way, shape, or form, be allowed to have a Nuclear Weapon,” the US President said in a post on Truth Social.
Iran's attacks on Gulf nations and its grip on the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil is transported, have sparked increasing concerns of a global energy crisis and are unnerving the world economy.
“I am not surprised by their action, however, because I always considered NATO, where we spend Hundreds of Billions of Dollars per year protecting these same Countries, to be a one-way street — We will protect them, but they will do nothing for us, in particular, in a time of need,” Trump said.
He said Australia, Japan and South Korea too have turned down his call for help.
“Fortunately, we have decimated Iran’s Military – Their Navy is gone, their Air Force is gone, their Anti-Aircraft and Radar is gone and perhaps, most importantly, their Leaders, at virtually every level, are gone, never to threaten us, our Middle Eastern Allies, or the World, again,” Trump said.
He said that given the scale of recent military successes, the US no longer "need" or desires assistance from NATO countries, adding that it never relied on such support in the first place.
Speaking as President of the United States, the "most powerful" country in the world, "we do not need" help from anyone, Trump said.
The West Asia conflict began on February 28 when the US-Israeli combine conducted airstrikes on Iran.
The Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway that connects the Persian Gulf to the open ocean, has effectively been shut following the US and Israel attack on Iran and Tehran's sweeping retaliation.
However, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had said that from Tehran's "perspective", the strait is "open". "It is only closed to Iran's enemies, to those who carried out unjust aggression against our country and to their allies.”
Earlier in the day, a second Indian-flagged LPG tanker, Nanda Devi, reached the country after safely sailing from the war-hit Strait of Hormuz. On Monday, the first ship, Shivalik, reached Mundra port in Gujarat.
As of now, 22 Indian vessels remain on the west side and two on the east side of the strait.
Indian authorities are in constant touch with all the relevant stakeholders in the region to secure the safe passage of the remaining ships, officials said.
