Jute Corporation of India Limited (JCI) to set up 62 more purchase centres in Assam

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, July 26: During the ensuing Crop Year 2018-19, the Jute Corporation of India Limited (JCI) is preparing for Minimum Support Price (MSP) operation through its 141 own Departmental Purchase Centres (DPCs) and is planning to add another sixty two (62) centres.

Talking to the reporters in Guwahati on Thursday, officials of the JCI said that the DPCs will be operated through the engagement of outsourced agency like Cooperative Society and Self Help Group. These sixty two centres are coming up in remote jute producing areas identified through Satellite Imaging by ISRO.

In the current year, JCI will introduce Passbook for the farmers, selling raw jute under MSP and against each transaction, necessary entries will be made in the Passbook. "We will buy maximum 25 quintals of raw jute from one farmer subject to a maximum of 50 quintals in the crop season (July to June – 2018-19). This will help in eliminating the third party between JCI and Farmers in purchase and sales of raw jute," the officials said. The officials informed the reporters that the proposed Passbooks will be universally acceptable at all purchase centres of JCI including its own and outsourced agencies. JCI will also operate Kishan Call Centres in collaboration with Ministry of Agriculture to address farmers' grievances related to raw jute procurement, payment of MSP etc which will give the farmers lot of satisfaction for instant redressal of his grievances.

Like the previous year, this year too, the JCI will directly pay to the farmers' account for their sale quantity. For getting the benefit of direct payment, farmer has to fill up a onetime simple registration form, containing details of Bank Accounts. Notably, during last crop year 2017-18, JCI procured 6.08 lakh quintals raw jute under MSP operation. It is expected that in this year quantity of raw jute procured under MSP will increase significantly as compared to that of last year.