The Indian Road Congress has accepted certain patterns of jute as a geo-textile that can be used for laying/ building of roads. The move is expected to give a boost to the jute industry, 87 per cent of whose production is from West Bengal, Subrata Gupta, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Textiles said.

According to him, an in-principle approval in this regard has been obtained; and once the contours are finalised a notification is expected in three months' time.These jute geo-textiles increase the longevity of road projects by improving “subsoil performance”. At present polyester is used as a geo-textile for road building.

For many years now the industry has worked hard in pursuing different states to use jute as a geo-textile in construction of roads. But, without any recognition, state governments had avoided using it.

Currently, three jute varieties are used as geo-textiles in the construction of roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sarak Yojana (PMGSY). Around 65 roads have been constructed using jute under PMGSY, of which 453 km are in Bengal.

“With IRC granting in-principle approval, it will be easy for us to push for jute as a geo-textile too,” he told presspersons on the sidelines of the Textiles India 2017 Roadshow organised here on Monday.

The US and Japan already use jute as a geo-textile for road making projects.

The Ministry is also carrying out a research project to develop new pattern jute textiles (including those which can be used as geo-textiles) with the Indian Jute Industries’ Research Association. Around Rs. 2.5 crore has also been granted for research purposes.