The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Panel to study woes of khadi sector

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 05, 2007
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Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Panel to study woes of khadi sector

Special Correspondent

One-time-settlement scheme for the handloom sector in the offing

5,000 Malayalis returning from UAE under amnesty
Scheme to help indigent Malayalis who die abroad

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Government would constitute a committee to study all the problems being experienced by the khadi sector, Industries Minister Elamaram Karim told the Assembly on Tuesday.

Responding to a calling attention motion moved by V. J. Thankappan of the CPI(M), the Industries Minister said the committee would also go into the member’s demand for setting up a Handloom Fabric Development Bank for the overall development of the handloom sector in the State.

He said the main problem faced by the handloom cooperatives was their heavy debt burden, which was as high as Rs.201 crore in the case of primary cooperatives, Rs.13.62 crore in the case of Hanveev and Rs.18.67 crore in the case of Hantex. The Government has completed audit to facilitate a one-time-settlement scheme to save the handloom sector. The proposal in this regard is under the consideration of NABARD, he said.

Responding to a calling attention motion moved by C. T. Ahamedali (IUML), Chief Minister V. S. Achuthanandan said around 5,000 Malayalis are expected to return to the State from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) taking advantage of the general amnesty for illegal migrants.

The Chief Minister said the State Government had sent two officials of the Non-Resident Keralites’ Welfare Department to UAE to coordinate the return of those who wished to avail themselves of the benefit of the amnesty scheme.

The State had no scheme for their rehabilitation, but had a scheme called ‘Santhwana’ aimed at helping the economically disadvantaged sections among them. The Government has also drawn up a Rs.50,000-scheme to help families of indigent Non-Resident Keralites’ who die in the various Gulf countries.

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