The Hindu Business Line : Steps afoot to revive Kerala's tile industry

AS part of the Government's efforts to revive the tile industry in the State, the Chief Minister, Mr Oommen Chandy, will soon convene a conference to discuss the problems being faced by the industry.

The conference will look into suggestions such as including hand-made tiles in the traditional industries schedule and giving tax exemptions to the industry, the Industries Minister, Mr V.K. Ibrahim Kunju, told the State Assembly on Monday.

Meanwhile, the resource mapping for modernising the industry in association with the Regional Research Laboratory is well on course, he added.

The Minister said that the Defence Ministry had ruled out the possibility of taking over the State-owned Kerala Hi-tech Industries Ltd (Keltec).

Keltec officials had held discussions with the task force of the Defence Ministry twice in this respect, but to no avail.

However, the Government would pursue the matter, Mr Kunju said.

The Minister said in a written reply that 78,000 small-scale industrial units, five public sector units, and one division each of two PSUs remain closed due to marketing and financial problems.

A Cabinet sub-committee comprising the Ministers for Industries, Finance, Agriculture, and Labour has been formed to study the problems of the sick industries in the State.

He said that returns from the PSUs had increased from Rs 1,350 crore to Rs 1,483 crore and the losses had come down from Rs 173 crore to Rs 128 crore.

He said in reply to a submission that the Government proposes to revamp Kerala State Bamboo Corporation by converting its loan into equity, giving voluntary retirement to the staff, and restructuring the depots.

The measures were being taken in accordance with a report of the Public Sector Restructuring and Internal Audit Board (RIAB).

He also told the House that the Government was trying its best to revive Travancore Electro Chemicals Ltd at Chingavanam in Kottayam district.

The Chief Minister had convened a meeting of Power, Finance, and Rural Development Ministers on June 10 to discuss the issue and follow-up measures are on to reopen the factory.

The Labour Minister, Mr Babu Divakaran, said that the Government would give a chance to unemployed youth in the State to renew their registration in employment exchanges.

The chance would be given towards the end of this year and this is being done to enable those who had failed to renew their registration by the prescribed timeframe.

This, however, could not be done frequently as it would upset the seniority of those whose names already figured in the registration list.

The Minister said that those who go in for such belated renewal would not get unemployment allowance. Their registration would be considered only for employment.

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