Coir sector to get more funds during 12th plan

Follow us:WhatsappFacebookTwitterTelegram.cls-1{fill:#4d4d4d;}.cls-2{fill:#fff;}Google NewsRealising the potential of the coir sector, the Union Government has increased the funds allocation to the sector from Rs 251 crore in the 11th Five-Year-Plan(FYP) to `870 crore in the next plan, Overseas Indian Affairs  Minister Vayalar Ravi has said.Stressing the need for a makeover for the coir sector, Ravi pointed out the changes that are coming up in the  field including mechanisation and modernisation. He was speaking at the International Coir Tech Expo 2012 here on Sunday.Ravi, who is also holding the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) portfolio, said that the coir export has almost doubled to  `1,052 crore from around `597 crore five years ago.The production and employment opportunities in the coir sector has increased in the recent times, Ravi said. Currently about 7 lakh people are employed in the sector, compared  to 6.57 lakh five years ago.He assured support to those engaged in the REMOT project (Rejuvenation, Modernisation and Technology upgradation of coir industry).  After inaugurating the coir expo, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said that a positive approach is needed to support the employees and small-scale industrialists in the sector. “The state will give all support to the coir industry. We had faced a couple of setbacks in the sector. Opposition to mechanisation and failure to make use of locally procured coconuts has proved costly.“Out of the 2 lakh people employed in the coir sector in  the state, only a few used mechanised techniques. We need to gradually bring the remaining sector to mechanisation, along  with an increase in production and employees wages,” he said. Releasing the technology manual, Union Minister K C Venugopal said that employees and small scale industrialists in the sector need to be supported. Fisheries and Excise Minister K Babu who inaugurated the exhibition pointed out the need for banning Chinese imports in the coir sector.Coir Board chairman G Balachandran, Mayor Tony Chammany, MPs P C Chacko, K P Dhanapalan, Ramasubbu, MLAs Hibi Eden, Dominic Presentation, BennyBehanan, Anwar Sadath, district panchayat president Eldhose Kunnappilly, GCDA chairman N Venugopal, Coir Board vice-chairman Subrata Hazarika and secretary M Kumara Raja also spoke. The expo will end onAugust 16.first published:August 13, 2012, 12:23 ISTlast updated:August 13, 2012, 12:23 IST 
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