The Alapuzha Coir Cluster Development Society, constituted in 2005 as a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to undertake various infrastructure improvement projects in the Alapuzha coir cluster, has implemented projects worth Rs 45.68 crore. The commerce ministry under its Industrial Infrastructure Upgradation Scheme has sanctioned a plan outlay of Rs 56.8 crore to the society.
Of this, 75 per cent amounting to Rs 42.6 crore had to come by way of central government grant under the scheme in three installments. Two installments amounting to Rs 14.2 core each had already been released. The third installment of Rs 9.21 crore would be handed over to the society by Union minister of state for power, KC Venugopal on February 18, a release said.
The implementation of the project is aimed at removing drudgery associated with the highly labour-intensive house hold and small-scale sectors involved in the production of raw materials like coir fibre and yarn required for the export oriented coir industry located in Alapuzha district.
Besides enhancing the earning capacity of the workers, including by way of increase in the number of days of employment, the project also aims at additional employment generation of nearly 23,000 in the cluster.
The Coir Board is the central agency assigned to monitor the activities of the society in implementation of the project. The board, on its part, has been extending technological assistance and infrastructure support to the society.
