Thiruvananthapuram: Ending over nine years of uncertainty, the Kerala State Cooperative Textile Federation (Texfed) is preparing to commission the Neyyattinkara Powerloom project.

The scheme, estimated to cost Rs.960 lakh, was designed to rehabilitate the illicit arrack traders of the Neyyattinkara taluk who volunteered to give up the hooch business. Handloom weavers, who had lost their jobs, and other unemployed men and women will also benefit from the scheme.

The Neyyattinkara Taluk Integrated Powerloom Village Industrial Cooperative Society was set up in 1996 to execute the project, which however remained stillborn due to repeated setbacks.

Texfed chairman and managing director T. Sukumaran Nair said the project would provide direct and indirect employment to over 400 persons. The society has installed 200 looms of different widths.

The National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) is providing an assistance of Rs.678.4 lakh for the project. While the Government equity comes to Rs.272 lakh, a sum of Rs.9.6 lakh has been mobilised from the promoters.

The project is to come up on 14.69 acres of land. As many as 176 looms, four pirn winding machines and one warp tying machine have been installed in two factory sheds. A training centre with 24 looms and a pirn winding machine has been installed. The site also includes a canteen, a crèche, diesel generators and a transformer.

Mr. Nair said the looms would be equipped with modern mechanical improvements to produce value-added fabrics. This, he explained, would help the project to tap the huge export market. The looms have completed trial run and are ready for commercial production, he added.

The society is working out a strategy in collaboration with Texfed to market the product (grey cloth). Branding of the product is also being considered for processed fabrics.

According to Texfed, the project would seek working capital assistance from banks after streamlining production. The unit is expected to achieve break even after two years.

Industries Minister Elamaram Karim is scheduled to commission the powerlooms at a function to be held at Uchakkada, Neyyattinkara, on January 1.

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