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Jute geotextile project to be launched soon

— Photo: T. Singaravelou

FRUITFUL INTERACTION: Senior Project Manager of Common Fund for Commodities Sietse van der Werff interacting with women undergoing training in making jute products on Tuesday.

PUDUCHERRY: After funding a project to train women self-help group (SHG) members in becoming jute entrepreneurs, the Common Fund for Commodities (CFC) of the United Nations is all set to launch a new project – jute geotextile - in 16 centres across India, according to Senior Project Manager of CFC, Sietse van der Werff.

On a visit to Puducherry to interact with the SHG members at the Jute Entrepreneur Service Centre on Tuesday, Mr. Werff said that the Jute Manufactures Development Council (JMDC), Ministry of Textiles, Union government would be the lead agency in carrying out the upcoming project in India.

“CFC has approved the jute geotextile project. We are in the process of coming up with the final project design. It will take off in a few months. The trial locations in India will be determined by JMDC. The project will be implemented in 16 locations in India and 10 in Bangladesh,” he told The Hindu.

Jute geotextile, a natural eco-friendly geotextile, was capable of addressing soil related problems, especially in strengthening of roads and control of soil erosion, he said, adding, “We will be looking at rural road construction and control of soil erosion. So far, it has been carried out in a haphazard basis and not on a scientific basis. We will be assisting JMDC in establishing technical parameters of jute material that can be used for the purpose.”

The three-year-old project to train women SHGs in manufacturing jute products had taken off in three locations in India – Kolkata, Patna and Puducherry. The centre at Puducherry had so far directly trained 450 women. It has reached out to more than 900 women through one-day seminars.

Aimed at promoting jute entrepreneurship, the project has trained women in making jute bags, handicrafts and jewellery.

“The purpose of the project was to help poor people, especially women, to earn a living. It was specially meant to enable women to become entrepreneurs, while working at home. It will make them independent,” he said.

Operations Officer, International Jute Study Group, Bangladesh, Latifa Binte Lutfar said that the project had helped women to improve their socio-economic conditions.

“It has helped in economic emancipation of women in Bangladesh to some extent. The project has covered 1,100 women in Bangladesh,” she said.

For many women like B. Kalaiselvi from D.R. Nagar, the training has helped in several ways.

“After learning to make the jute products, I will teach the other members of my SHG,” she said, while Sivakami of Subbiah Nagar noted that such training helped several uneducated women to earn a living.

Mr. Werff also met the Chief Secretary, Puducherry government during his visit.

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