Village is the major component of our economic growth and development of Kerala. Establishment of the Village and The Small Scale Industries always play a major role in the development of our economy. Let us understand the concept of the term “Gram Udyog”;it refers to the manufacture of goods using with a small capital, on a small scale, with limited labourers, from members of the same family or from group of people living in the village.
In Kerala, it is the major industries available and playing a crucial role in the growth of economy. The VSI or the Village and the Small Scale Industries consists of Khadi, Coir, Handloom, Sericulture, Horticulture, Floriculture, and sick village industries. During the British period most of the Village and the Small Scale Industries were crushed as they wanted to promote their industries in Manchester, Oxford and other areas. Most of them perished as the stiff competition were offered by machine based goods of the UK.
Indian environment is perfect for the growth and development of the the Village and the Small Scale Industries compared to any nation in the world. It is imperative that they get revived as soon as possible and their revival does not mean return to the medievalism, or total boycott of the modern methods. States like Kerala having natural and mineral resources require the influx to improve the economy. State aided programmes and systems will bring the growth of VSI or the Village and Small Scale Industries in the present scenario.
Kerala is unique in numerous ways as it is one of the first states to achieve 100% literacy rate in India. Historically, it was influenced by the highest level of the rural agricultural employment, as people became educated and wanted to make a name for them. Most of the resources available were used to make industrial goods largely connected to the foreign markets.
In the early stages, a major part of the state budget is devoted to building the infrastructure like the transport, communication and power generation. This leads to price rise and incurring huge costs. Large industries are affected by the incubation periods, leading to inflation. The gap between the investment and production is small and due to fast and regular production, you can reduce pressures from inflations. The role of village and cottage industries cannot be undervalued and remarkably most of the developing nations are abundant with staff and natural resources.
In the year 1998 the number of people coming to Kerala was 80.8 lakhs. Existence of large industries in Kerala, with their astounding growth in the field of technology cannot remove unemployment and backwardness.
However the rise of the village and cottage industries employing lot of people on regular basis offers huge employment opportunities to the people. If you analyse the recent investment in the village and cottage industries is very high compared to others.
Kerala is a state having agriculture and tourism as the main segment and these segments do not offer employment to farmers and workers. Village and Cottage Industries like the Mat Weaving, Making of the Pots, Cigarettes, Bee Keeping, and offers part time occupation to the unemployed rural masses. These play a leading role in providing extra income from the agriculture.
Measures Taken by Kerala Government
The central and the state government have trusted on large and medium scale industries to undertake the development of the Village and Small Scale industries in Kerala. The boards and associations established by the Kerala government are given below as follows.
Kerala State Khadi and Village Industries Board were set up in 1957 to monitor the growth and development of Khadi and Village industries. It came up in places like the Travancore and Malabar regions in the initial stage. After the setting up of the All India Khadi and Village Industries Commission by the centre, the Kerala government enacted the Kerala Khadi and Village Industries Act in 1957. It has offices in 14 districts of Kerala and assists the workers in need with immediate effect. The activities deals with granting loans to individuals in setting up cottage units toclassify co-operative societies, doing training courses, supplying tools and machineries, marketing, research and development. Funding to this board is done by Kerala government and the Khadi and Village Industries Commission.
Address:
KSKVIB
Palace Road
Chembukavu
Thrissur---680020.
Email: potcr@kkvib.org
Handloom is the chief industry in Kerala state and after the formation of the All India Handloom Board in 1952 began to initiatethe development of the Village and the Small Scale Industries. It is the “HANTEX” and was set up in 1961, encouraged assistance to Handloom segment. They churn the clothes, using their raw materials and return the cloth to the society and get paid on weekly/monthly basis. HANTEX is the only society of Handloom Weavers in Kerala having 440 Production Centres and 150 sales outlets with awesome infrastructure to create garments, fabrics, saris, furnishings, traditional wears, wall hangings strictly in sync with the eco-friendly norms.
Address:
Champaka Nagar
Ootukuzhi, Thycaud
Thiruvananthapuram---695001
Phone: 9497331236.
Email: hantex123123@gmail.com
It is also known as the HANVEEV, was limited to the Handloom Co-operatives only. In the later stages due to industrialisation, most of the looms were un-operational and productivity saw a steep fall. To augment the development of the handloom segment, Kerala State Handloom Finance and Trading Corporation set up in 1968 began to offer direct link between weavers and consumers. It was earlier known as Kerala State Handloom Finance and Trading Corporation, and due to financial difficulties, it stopped giving loans to others. Objective of this establishment revolves around the process of eliminating middlemen, offering supply designs, research and development, supply of dyes and yarns. It borrows the finance with the help of banks and other financial institutions and even state government is a pivotal player in its daily operations.
Address:
32/249, Thilleri Road
Kannur 670001
Kerala
Phone: (497) 2701804.
Email: hanveev@gmail.com.
This was established in the year 1968 and came to be known as the HDC. This deals with the process of supplying the Finished Goods, Raw Materials, Training Weavers, and Marketing Produce in a rational manner. About 11,000 artisans/ weavers get the benefits through the programmes of the corporation. It has got a common facility service centre at Thiruvananthapuram. Every year HDC organised the exhibition, fairs to promote the handicrafts in Kerala. There are 19 sales showroom in India, out of which 10 is in Kerala and remaining in rest of India. The head office is at Thiruvananthapuram and gives training in the wood carving and leading master craftsman come here to give valuable advice in handloom sector.
Address:
Press Club Road
PuthenchanthaStatue
Palayam
Thiruvananthapuram—695001
Phone: (0471) 2778400, 2331538.
This society always gives the assistance to the artisans in Kerala. It was established in 1994 and is located at Ernakulam. The government brings skilled and unskilled artisans under its wings and trains them tomake and marketing the finished goods. The Handicrafts Apex Society enjoys financial assistance from banks, RBI and other financial institutions. They carry out purchasing the raw materials at subsidises rates, conduct exhibitions, promote the sale of the goods and training is done to up skill the craftsman.
Address:
Head office
Mannancheril Building
Kannanthodath Lane
Ernakulam Town
Ernakulam—682016.
There were many co-operative societies in Kerala engaged in the purchase of the raw materials from the co-operative societies in the state. In 1979 the marketing societies in Kerala were merged with others and Kerala State Co-operative Societies were formed. The offices are present in Kochi, Alappuzha, and Kozhikode. The major objective is to offer supreme level of employment opportunities to coir workers under this fold and give them salary on a regular basis. There are 54 showrooms, 3 mobile showrooms, and authorised dealers in Kerala. It has set up unit in Alappuzha and Kannur for making mats, pillows, mattresses, and cushions.
Address:
COIRFED
Near South Police Station
Alappuzha
Kerala 688001
Email: coirfedho@gmail.com
The coir is an export oriented firm producing the goods meant for export manufactured by unorganised small scale producers. It was set in 1969 to offer stability to coir industries in Kerala and save workers from getting unemployed. It also encouraged the export of coir and its associated products. Financial assistance to this establishment is given by State, Central government and nationalised banks. They offer training to workers, improve colour and quality of coir and diversity them. Training centre is present in Beypore and offers the raw materials and financial materials to small scale industries in Kerala.
Address:
KSCC
CoircraftHeadoffice
P B No 191
Seaview Ward
Alappuzha—688001.
Phone No: (0477) 2240109.
Email: coircorporation@coircraftcom
Hence, one can say that many village and cottage industries is set up in Kerala by the central and state government. Central government is dealing with framing policies, advising measures to tackle issues and give guidelines. State level agencies are good in supplying raw materials, giving modern techniques of manufacture, training and offer marketing facilities in Kerala to make Handloom segment self-reliant.
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