The Hindu : Coir sector: Minister's claim questioned

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 01, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Coir sector: Minister's claim questioned

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, JAN. 31. The CITU-led Kerala Coir Workers' Centre general secretary, Anathalavattom Anandan, has disputed the Agriculture and Coir Minister, K. R. Gouri's claim that the Government had spent Rs. 17.45 crores in the coir sector so far this year against the allocation of Rs. 15.10 crores earmarked for 2003-'04.

In a statement here on Friday, Mr. Anandan said the allocation came to Rs. 15.10 crores only because Rs. 6 crores sanctioned by the Centre for providing Market Development Assistance was included in it. Thus, the actual State share was only Rs. 9.16 crores. Out of this, only Rs. 5.30 crores had been spent till January end. The Government could at best claim to have spent Rs. 6.03 crores because it had recently released Rs. 1 crore to the Kerala State Coir Development Corporation, he said.

The CITU leader said the highest amount spent was Rs. 1.65 crores on the Coir Workers' Welfare Fund Board. Although Rs. 1.20 crores had been earmarked for provision of margin money to coir cooperatives, not a single paisa was given. Although there were about 550 coir cooperatives in the State, hardly 50 were now functioning because no assistance was forthcoming from the Government.

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