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Bengal Labour Minister to hold talks with Ruia on Dunlop

KOLKATA: West Bengal's new Labour Minister Purnendu Bose has decided to hold talks with Pawan Kumar Ruia to know his plans on Dunlop. Prior to that he will discuss the issue with State Industry Minister Partha Chatterjee, he said.

“I will ask him to come for a meeting. I would like to know his thinking on Dunlop – whether he plans to run the unit or not. I will also talk to the workers,” he told The Hindu in an interview. Mr Bose assumed office last weekend.

Admitting that many problems plague the mother unit of the company at Sahagunj in Hooghly district, he said the issues need to be addressed.

On the jute industry, he said that he disagreed with the earlier government's contention that this was a sunset sector, opining that to the contrary, jute had a huge international market and as an environment-friendly material, a very promising potential.

The industry seemed to be “in a crisis in a no-crisis situation. The former State government's policies pertaining to this segment need correction.” he remarked. He also ticked off the various trade unions associated with the industry for having developed a nexus with the management

On the State's other traditional industry, tea, Mr Bose said that although he was keen to avoid a strike in this industry, the fact remained that the industry needed a wage settlement.

He mentioned that the issue of tea gardens was discussed at length during a meeting taken by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday during her interaction with the administrative heads of the districts. A committee has been set up to look into the issue of the workers not getting their social sector benefits.

Mr Bose said that it was of utmost importance that workers be made aware of their rights.

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