The Hindu : Incentives for khadi workers

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 20, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala

Incentives for khadi workers
By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, MARCH 19. The Minister for Rural Development, C.F. Thomas, said here on Tuesday that Rs. 4 crores has been allocated for providing production incentives to khadi workers and helping khadi units that are facing financial problems.

The Minister said Rs. 34.5 lakhs had been earmarked under a special package drawn up by the Government for providing incentive at the rate of ten paise per every hank used by weavers from March 17. Spinners would also get ten paise subsidy for every hank spun by them during February and March. A sum of Rs. 8.35 lakhs had been allocated for this.

The Government had also released Rs. 2 crores to clear arrears in payment of rebates. The Payyannur khadi centre was granted Rs. 50 lakhs to prevent stoppage of work owing to shortage of cotton. Money had also been allocated to clear arrears of payments to the Khadi Workers Welfare Fund Board. Besides, Rs. 23 lakhs was allocated as special aid to sell off accumulated stocks.

Mr. Thomas said the Khadi Board proposed to assist educated unemployed to set up a cybercafe each in every panchayat under the margin money scheme. The board would provided 30 per cent of the investment as grant while the balance is to be availed of as loans from banks.

He said the money demanded by headload workers for transport of rice, received under the food for work programme, from FCI godowns to wholesalers had caused problems in the implementation of the programme. While the matter had been settled in some districts, the problem remained in Kannur, Kozhikode, Kasaragod, Wayanad and Thrissur districts. Various political parties had promised assistance in settling the issue.

The State, he said, would be getting Rs. 40 crores for construction of rural roads under the Prime Minister's Grama Sadak Yojana this year against Rs. 20 crores received last year. The State had submitted a programme for Rs. 47 crores covering 102 development blocks in the State.

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Incentives for khadi workers