Kerala - Kozhikode   

Coir welfare board moots modernisation of industry

Staff Reporter

Workers asked to cooperate with mechanisation

KOZHIKODE: The Kerala Coir Workers Welfare Fund Board (KCWWFB), at its meeting held here on May 2, recommended the introduction of mechanisation in production operations.

The Board chairman, P. Binu, appealed to the workers in this traditional industrial sector to adopt an open approach and cooperate with the Government in its move to modernise the industry in keeping with the contemporary needs.

``The four lakh-odd workers who comprise the coir sector in the State should not resist the move to introduce mechanisation in production technology. Instead, they must be willing to accept the modernisation programmes being initiated by the Government,'' Mr. Binu said.

He said more than 85 per cent of the workers in the coir sector are women. Though it has been possible to attract new generation workers to the factory operations, this has not been the case with various processing activities in the coir sector such as threshing of husk and coir yarn spinning.

One of the major reasons why new generation workers failed to be attracted to the sector is lack of modernisation of machinery and manufacture techniques.

He said wherever mechanisation was introduced in these areas of activities, there has been a commendable increase in the number of persons employed as well as in productivity levels.

The introduction of mechanisation has only helped in providing more employment, to over 4.5 lakh persons, in this sector, he claimed.

Funds disbursal

On the assistance provided through the board, Mr. Binu said more than Rs.50 crores has been disbursed to the members under various categories such as basic sanitation, electrification of dwellings, self-employment training for self-help groups, setting up units, and distribution of `raat' among others.

The number of members under the fund has increased to two lakhs from 1.5 lakhs four years back, he pointed out.

Assistance was disbursed to members of the Fund from Kozhikode district at the meeting.

The Board director, M. Rajan, presided.

The Coir Corporation chairman, S. Chidambaran, the Coirfed director board member K.P. Kutty, among others participated in the deliberations. The KSCWWB chief executive, P. Gopinathan Pillai, welcomed and the regional officer, D. Mini, proposed the vote of thanks.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Kerala

News: Front Page | National | Tamil Nadu | Andhra Pradesh | Karnataka | Kerala | New Delhi | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous | Engagements |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary | Updates: Breaking News |

Stories in this Section

Coir welfare board moots modernisation of industry

Copyright © 2005, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu