Union Minister for Textiles, Shri Giriraj Singh, Visits IJIRA and ICAR–CRIJAF in Kolkata.
Union Minister for Textiles, Shri Giriraj Singh, Visits IJIRA and ICAR–CRIJAF in Kolkata.
On Friday, September 5, 2025, Union Minister for Textiles, Shri Giriraj Singh, visited the Indian Jute Industries Research Association (IJIRA) and the ICAR – Central Research Institute for Jute and Allied Fibres (ICAR–CRIJAF) during his official tour to Kolkata. He was accompanied by Smt. Padmini Singla, Joint Secretary (Fibre), Ministry of Textiles; Shri Moloy Chandan Chakraborty, Jute Commissioner; Shri Shashi Bhushan Singh, Secretary & CEO, National Jute Board (NJB); along with other senior officials from the Ministry and its affiliated institutions.
During his interaction with stakeholders, the Minister emphasised the Government’s renewed focus on “New Age Fibres” under the expanded mandate of the NJB. He highlighted NJB’s pivotal role in fostering innovation, diversification, and value-chain development—not only for jute but also for other bast and regenerative fibres such as ramie, sisal, banana fibre, and bamboo fibre.
Recognising the rising global demand for sustainable and biodegradable materials, Shri Singh stressed the importance of value addition in jute and allied fibres for use in textiles, technical textiles, and composite applications.
He called for enhanced collaboration among ICAR–CRIJAF, ICAR–NINFET, and IJIRA in key areas, including:
- Development and scaling of high-quality planting materials and seeds
- Advancement of innovative fibre extraction technologies
- Blending jute with other natural fibres to create apparel-grade materials
- Development of automated, modular machinery for modern processing and post-harvest value addition
During the review, Shri Singh assessed recent innovations showcased at IJIRA and CRIJAF, which included bamboo fibre extraction technologies, automation in jute spinning and weaving, pilot plantations and trials of ramie and sisal fibres, as well as mechanisation initiatives launched following his previous visit in April 2025.
This visit reaffirms the Ministry’s commitment to modernising the bast fibre ecosystem through the proposed New Age Fibre Mission, aimed at positioning India as a global leader in natural fibre innovation while empowering millions of small and marginal farmers across fibre-rich states.
