10 jute mills closed, 16 tea gardens closed in WB

Kolkata, Jul 27: Ten out of 59 jute mills and 16 of 277 tea gardens in West Bengal were under lockout, Labour Minister Mrinal Banerjee has said.

The mills and tea gardens were closed either for financial reasons or because of the incompetence of owners, he said.

Banerjee alleged that the Central policies were responsible for the setback in the jute industry in particular.

Banerjee said the state government was seized with the recruitment policy as well as the problem areas in jute and tea industry.

He claimed that job opportunities had gone up considerably in service and informal sectors in the state though it has dwindled in the manufacturing sector.

Admitting allegations of irregularities in payment of PF and gratuity, the minister said the matter had already been taken up with the Regional PF Commissioner and appropriate steps had been taken.

UNI