The Hindu : Kerala News : Government to encourage entrepreneurs

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, May 31, 2005

Kerala

Kerala

Government to encourage entrepreneurs

Staff Reporter

KOCHI: The Industries Minister, V. K. Ebrahim Kunju, said on Monday that the Government had taken several initiatives to encourage entrepreneurship.

Inaugurating a seminar `promoting entrepreneurship in coconut sector,' the Minister said subsidy was being given to investment in different sectors to promote industry. He assured the coconut industry that the Government would continue to extend support.

The Minister said total commitment was necessary on the part of entrepreneurs to make the ventures successful. He launched new coconut-based food items produced by two entrepreneurs.

Presiding over the function, the Kochi Mayor, C. M. Dinesh Mani, said coconut had a key role to play in the economy. Though there was no dearth of scientists or researchers, the diseases affecting coconut trees were yet to be contained. The productivity in Kerala was low in comparison to other States. These were matters of concern to the farmers as well as the industry.

Subsidies distributed

The Mayor distributed subsidy ranging from Rs.2,200 to Rs.10,000 to eight farmers who were making copra by using copra dryers. The scheme was being extended as part of the Technology Mission of the Coconut Development Board. It was meant to encourage farmers to adopt technologies for value addition.

The Board chairperson, Minnie Mathew, said different products like packaged tender coconut water were developed under the coconut technology mission. An amount of Rs.12 crores had been sanctioned by the Board under the integrated coconut project. The Board would focus on quality control for which the help of scientific institutions would be sought.

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