Jute Resource-Cum-Production Centre (JRCPC)

What is the Jute Resource-Cum-Production Centre scheme?

The Jute Resource-Cum-Production Centre (JRCPC) scheme is run by the National Jute Board (NJB), a statutory body under the Ministry of Textiles. It sets up training-cum-production centres across the country where people, especially women, rural workers and artisans: are trained to make jute diversified products (JDP) such as bags, home furnishings and handicrafts, and are helped to turn that skill into a livelihood.

According to the National Jute Board, each centre is run by an implementing agency, an NGO, a women's Self-Help Group, a cooperative society or a trust — which trains a batch of about 20 beneficiaries per cycle. The agency receives financial assistance of up to around Rs 2.14 lakh per cycle to cover the cost of running the training, with an additional incentive payable on successful completion. The scheme also fits the government's wider push to promote jute as an eco-friendly alternative to plastic.

Main features

• Centres deliver basic, advanced and design training in jute diversified products.
• Each batch trains about 20 beneficiaries.
• The implementing agency receives assistance of up to roughly Rs 2.14 lakh per cycle, plus a completion incentive.
• Trainees are linked to raw material, design support and NJB marketing outlets and exhibitions.

Who is eligible for the JRCPC scheme?

This is an institutional scheme. The applicant is an organisation that will run a centre, not an individual claiming a personal grant.

An agency can apply if it is:

• A registered NGO, women's Self-Help Group (SHG), cooperative society or trust with the capacity to organise training.
• Able to bring together a batch of around 20 trainees and provide a suitable venue.
• Willing to run the training and production activity to the National Jute Board's norms.

Who cannot claim directly:

• Individual artisans cannot receive the cash assistance directly. They take part as trainees at a centre. The grant is paid to the implementing agency.
• Agencies without proper legal registration or the ability to mobilise a batch of trainees are not eligible to run a centre.

What documents are required?

How to apply for a Jute Resource-Cum-Production Centre

1. The interested NGO, SHG, cooperative or trust reviews the National Jute Board's JRCPC guidelines on jute.com and confirms it meets the norms.
2. The agency prepares a proposal setting out the proposed centre, the venue, the batch of roughly 20 trainees and the training plan.
3. The agency submits the proposal to the National Jute Board along with its registration certificate and bank details.
4. The National Jute Board appraises the proposal and, if approved, sanctions the centre and the financial assistance.
5. The agency runs the training-cum-production centre, and receives the assistance, and any completion incentive; as per the sanctioned terms.

Individuals who want to learn jute craft should look for an approved centre running near them rather than apply to the Board directly.

How much does the JRCPC scheme provide?

The National Jute Board provides financial assistance of up to about Rs 2.14 lakh per training cycle to the agency running a centre, covering the cost of training a batch of roughly 20 beneficiaries over the training period. An additional incentive may be paid to the agency on successful completion of the activity. The benefit to individual trainees is not cash but a marketable skill, plus access to raw material, design help and the Board's marketing channels.

Help and where to verify

• National Jute Board, Jute Bhavan, Block-CF, Action Area-1, New Town, Kolkata 700156 to board line 033-22521100.
• JRCPC scheme guidelines and formats are published on jute.com.

Because the assistance amount and batch norms are set by National Jute Board circulars that are revised periodically, confirm the current per-cycle figure and eligibility conditions with the Board before submitting a proposal, and treat the amount above as indicative.