Three factories will be started under the aegis of Coir Corporation for the production of coco logs, rubberised mattress, and mechanised geotextiles, Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac has said. Presenting the State Budget on Friday, Dr. Isaac said that the coir production in the State would touch 40,000 tonne in 2020-21.
The Budget also proposed to start a coir mulching sheets production factory. Besides, an agreement had been reached with the multinational company Dutch Plantin to establish a coir pith processing company in the State, the Minister said.
Startups
He said that 25 startups would be established in the coir sector under the leadership of young engineers to supply geotextiles.
Dr. Isaac said that three types of products would be produced in the coir composite factories of Foam Mattings. “These are coirboards made using only 20% of resin, boards made up of coir and bamboo mat and boards made up of coir pith,” he said.
The Budget had earmarked an amount of ₹112 crore for the coir sector. Apart from this, an amount of ₹ 130 crore was intended to be spent through National Cooperative Development Corporation assistance. An amount of ₹50 crore was expected from the Coir Board for starting 10 coir clusters.
One-time settlement
A sum of ₹25 crore was additionally earmarked for one-time settlement of small scale producers who had availed loan under the remote scheme of the 70s, settling the loan arrears of societies in district banks, gratuity of the employees, pension fund deposits, and also for clearing electricity bill arrears, Dr. Isaac said.
The Minister said that 400 mechanised mills, 2,000 automatic spinning machines and 200 automatic geotextile looms were being established. “Mechanisation will not affect the labour or labourers of traditional sector. Their produce will be processed by the government ensuring minimum price and marketed by providing subsidy. The average annual income of the coir spinning society labourers will be increased to over ₹50,000 during the year 2020-21. An income of at least ₹600 per day will be ensured for the labourers of the mechanised sector,” he said.
