Govt will provide 100 crore to revive coir industry: Minister

Kochi, Aug 20 (UNI) State Cooperation Minister G Sudhakaran today said the government would set aside Rs 100 crore for the coir industry if the public sector undertakings and other institutions concerned in Kerala took concrete steps to revive the industry.

Inaugurating the sale of foam matting through SUPPLYCO here, the minister said the government had set aside Rs 55 crore for the resurgence of the coir industry and was willing to provide Rs 100 crore in the next budget if the organisations concerned took valid steps for the revival of the industry.

''Eventhough the industry had an export of Rs 500 crore, the workers in the coir industry are going through a lean patch,'' the minister said.

The organisations concerned should address this problem and find an amicable solution in this regard, he added.

He said the industry would witness a boom if the state Coir Board chalked out plans conducive for the domestic market.

He said the government had disbursed pension benefits to the tune of Rs five crore to 10473 workers in the industry.

Food and Civil Supplies Minister C Divakaran, who was also present for the inauguration, said in the era of globalisation the public sector competed successfully with the multi-national companies and SUPPLYCO was working efficiently.

UNI MA AJ VD GC1937