------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Documented by Goa Desc Resource Centre Ph:2252660 Website: www.goadesc.org Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Press Clippings on the web: http://www.goadesc.org/mem/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -------------------------------------------------------------- Rs 4.8 crore to rejuvenate State's coir industry -------------------------------------------------------------- There's some good news for the coir industry in Goa. The Coir Board, Government of India, has prepared an action plan for the development of this industry in the State.The Rs 4.8 crore plan is expected to give a boost to the sagging coir industry in Goa. This will help create 1000 jobs during the year 2003-04, the chairman of Coir Board, Mr C Chandran told a press conference in the presence of the Director of Craftsmen Training, Mr Surendra Desai.
Rejuvenating the coir business in Goa was among the decisions taken at the 173rd meeting of the Coir Board chaired by the Union Minister of State (with independent charge) for Agro and Rural Industries, Mr Sangh Priya Gautam, held at Kesarval Retreat, today.
Goa's coir industry is in a primitive stage though the potential is very high. There are only three fibre extraction units and the total production of these units is estimated at 265 metric tonnes per annum which works out to only 5 per cent of the existing potential, according to Mr Chandran.
Under the action plan, the Coir Board will impart skill development training to 500 women workers, strengthen the existing training centres, organise demonstration of coir geo-textiles and pith composting, organise entrepreneurship development programmes, exposure tour, seminars/worshops, etc. He said the action plan will be implemented jointly by the Coir Board and the State government.
The total area under coconut cultivation is 25000 hectares which works out to 15 per cent of the total cultivable land. As the production of coconut is estimated at 125.1 million nuts per annum, Mr Chandran said there is a potential to produce 5000 metric tonnes of coir fibre per annum at 50 per cent of the available husk.
Mr Chandran said the Board approved a few major schemes like enhancement of utilisation of coconut husk under Mahila Coir Yojna, financial assistance to the flood affected units of Orissa, collaborative research projects with Baba Atomic Research Centre (BARC) for use of coir pith as a bio-absorbent for removal and recovery of uranium from solutions at lower ph.
The Board also approved a scheme for enhancement of utilisation of the coconut husk, 'Swarna Jaanthi Coir Cluster Vikas Yojana' for developing model coir clusters all over India including one in Goa.
Mr Chandran said the coir industry is a traditional cottage industry providing means of livelihood to half a million workers in the rural sector belong to the weaker sections of the society. The industry uses 35 per cent of the coconut available in the country.
He said expecting an increase of more than 13 per cent over the year 2002-03, the Central government have fixed a target of Rs 400 crore during the 2003-04. The actual export during 2002-03 was Rs 352.70 crore as compared to Rs 320.58 crore during 2001-02.
During the first six month period of the current financial year covering April-September 2003, the export of coir and its products totalled 41903 mt valued at Rs 184.39 crore.
Earlier in the meeting, Mr Gautam said utilisation of coconut husk for the coir industry is only 35 percent at the national level, which has to been enhanced to 50 percent. By the end of 10th plan period it will be possible to generate new employment opportunities to one lakh workers in coir sector, the minister added. In the meeting, the minister also promised to consider various issues like increased sales tax on coir, and non-availability of railway wagons faced by the industry. ----------------------------------- HERALD 1/11/03 page 1 -----------------------------------
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