The Hindu : Kerala News : Orders on sick units being reviewed

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 30, 2005

Kerala

Kerala

Orders on sick units being reviewed

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, MARCH 29. The Government is reviewing the orders issued on the recommendations of the Enterprises Reforms Committee for closure or privatisation of sick public enterprises, said the Minister for Industries, V.K. Ebrahim Kunju, in the Assembly on Tuesday.

Replying to the debate on the demand for grants for Industries, the Minister said the Government had decided to provide working capital to enterprises that could be revived through a one-time settlement. It will approve the project for revival of Malabar Spinning and Weaving Mills in Kozhikode, prepared by the management. As to the seven Government companies that had become defunct, revision of wages and a voluntary retirement scheme will be considered.

The Business-to-Business Meet 2005, proposed for finding sellers and buyers for products, will be held in Kochi on September 6 to 8.

Mr. Kunju denied corruption in the deputation of staff from Thiruvananthapuram Spinning Mills and their confirmation in other institutions. The cooperative spinning mills in the State, he said, will be modernised. Assistance for this will be sought from the National Cooperative Development Corporation.

He said the Industries Department would find Rs.50 lakhs for carrying out the proposed Women Industrial Assistance Programme next financial year. The Programme will emphasis technology upgradation, skill upgradation and marketing.

Shortage of husk

The Minister for Agriculture and Coir, K.R. Gouri, who replied to points on coir, said steps had been taken to solve the shortage of husk in the State. Husk is imported from Karnataka and Kudumbasree units are entrusted with collection of husk at the local level.

The Minister said Rs.80 cores had been set apart for distress purchase of coir and coir products at market rates. This will prevent accumulation of stocks. A sum of Rs.56 crores has been received from the Centre for upgradation of infrastructure for the coir industry.

After the replies by the Ministers, the House passed the demand for grants amounting to Rs.274.42 crores. The demands for grants for State Legislature, Elections, Stamps and Registration, Treasury and Accounts, Pensions and Miscellaneous, Information and Publicity, Miscellaneous Economic Services and Miscellaneous Loans and Advances were guillotined.

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