The Kerala Government will soon extend the income support scheme, which is being given to coir workers in societies, to thousands of coir workers in the private sector.
“We don’t have any issues in extending the income support scheme to coir workers engaged in private companies. For availing themselves of the benefit, they need to register their names with the government,” said Minister for Revenue and Coir Adoor Prakash, inaugurating the valedictory function of the Coir Kerala 2014.
The Minister said that the government is aware of the issues faced by lakhs of coir workers in the state and would take all necessary steps to bring smiles to their faces.
The government will soon take measures to help the debt-ridden coir workers who are facing legal action from banks. We are planning to extend several benefits to those coir workers who are retired from coir societies; he said and added that the daily wages of those engaged in husk collection would be increased to promote procurement of husk.
The government is committed to the welfare of coir workers engaged in this traditional industry. He called upon coir societies to develop into coir exporters, as there are few examples where some societies through dedication and hard work had become exporters of coir mats and mattings.
Coir Kerala 2014, which began on February 1, had become a perfect platform for societies and other manufacturers to showcase their products to the world.
Coir Secretary Rani George said that a committee under the National Coir Research Management Institute (NCRMI) will be formed to work on the main points which were discussed and debated in the seminars held as part of the event.