Rs 1,115 crore scheme to modernise coir industry

Kochi, May 14 (UNI) In its bid to revamp the coir industry, the Centre was planning to implement a Rs 1,115 crore scheme to rejuvenate and modernise the coir sector in the country.

Coir Board Chairman A C Jose told newspersons here today that the scheme was aimed at rejuvenating the traditional coir industry to make it competitive with more market driven, profitable production and sustained employment for coir artisans.

He said the project named 'Scheme for the Rejuvenation, Modernisation&Technological Upgradation of the Coir Industry', envisaged to generate new direct employment for 1,67,000 people.

The export target at the end of the 11th plan period after implementation of the project was fixed at Rs 1,600 crore and the domestic trade at Rs 2,100 crore, he added.

Through the scheme, the coir industry was poised to register a growth of 25 per cent from the present 12 per cent, he said.

The scheme also plans for technology upgradation in five mega coir clusters in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Orissa.

The modernisation of the sector was by replacement of obsolete, old machinery to increase the production, reduce drudgery and enlarging the production activities for generating employment in spinning and weaving, Mr Jose said.

He said Rs 25 crore was allotted in the budget for executing the project in 2007-08.

UNI