Tradition Meets Tech
APM Mohammed Hanish IAS
Principal Secretary,
Department of Industries
Kerala’s industrial policy aims to build the state into an Industry 4.0-ready industrial ecosystem by 2028. The policy lists several focus sectors, including nanotechnology, biotechnology and advanced digital technologies, like 3D printing, artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT). In our efforts to be futuristic, Kerala is not losing sight of our strengths and core areas. The traditional industrial sector is getting an equally important attention from the government. Traditional industries including Coir, Handloom, Cashew and Handicrafts play a key role in the inclusive development of Kerala. These industries provide employment in large numbers especially to women and marginalised sections. These industries are linked to the natural resources of the state and are part of our tradition and heritage. The strategic interventions of the state government have ensured that these sectors show signs of progress and remain a beacon of hope. Steps taken by the government in traditional industries to modernise, diversify and bring about innovation in marketing have brought positive changes.
Coir Sector – Bringing Sweeping Changes
The coir industry of Kerala is witnessing many workerfriendly developments and historical achievements. More than 4 lakh people are employed in the coirrelated sector, 80 percent of whom are women. The government is formulating long-term schemes to develop the coir sector. Schemes such as one coir product in every household to make the coir industry more popular have already achieved great success. There has been manifold growth in this sector in the last 9 years. The annual income of workers has also increased manifold. The Coir Department has been able to increase the number of profit-making groups. Coir geotextiles slows down the flow of water and prevents soil erosion, absorbs five times its own weight in water, retains moisture in the soil and reduces the temperature in the atmosphere and provides organic matter to the soil by dissolving and adding to it. Kerala exports geo textile to mines and other areas of the country to prevent floods and sand sliding. Coir mats, rugs and carpets play an important role in making homes and offices more attractive. Rubberised coir products, coir tiles and coir mats have a lot of market potential today. Kerala exports coir mats and mattings to European countries. The Coir sector is making a huge transformation by forging collaboration with the National Institute of Design. This partnership focuses on the development of innovative products by ensuring that traditional crafts evolve with modern design sensibilities. This helps us to have strategic partnerships with globally renowned retailers such as Walmart. These associations have placed indigenous coir products on the global map. Steps have been taken to increase production efficiency in the coir sector through mechanisation. Financial assistance is provided to coir co-operative societies through the Production and Marketing Incentive Scheme. Government also provides financial assistance to coir workers through the Income Support Scheme. Price Stabilisation Scheme has also been implemented.
Handloom Sector – Weaving Dreams
The Department of Handlooms & Textiles is undertaking several interventions to develop a strong handloom sector through infrastructure development assistance, assistance in sourcing raw materials, marketing assistance, welfare and training activities, re-capitalisation of primary/apex societies, revival of cooperative societies and mills and enhancement of production capacity.
Free Uniform
The Free Handloom School Uniform scheme revitalised the handloom industry by ensuring fair wages and continuous employment for workers. The government implemented the scheme to provide quality uniforms to school children and to provide better income and more working days to handloom weavers. Two pairs of uniforms are being distributed to children in government schools from class 1 to 7 and to children in aided schools from class 1 to 4.
Branding
With the aim to comprehensively revitalise the handloom sector by branding products at the national and international levels, the Kerala Handloom Mark ‘Ka’ registration is implemented for Value Added Handloom Products. As part of this, a website containing information about Kerala handloom products has been developed (www.kit. kerala.gov.in). The government is also taking special initiatives to attract youth to the handloom and weaving industry through schemes such as Yuva Weave Project Powerloom co-operative societies are also being revived through various schemes and incentives. Income support scheme is implemented in handloom sector to ensure a minimum daily wage of upto Rs. 150 for weavers. The benefit is extended to weavers upto 100 days in a year. Handloom expert committee is constituted to formulate effective plans for the development of the sector and their recommendations are under the consideration of the government.
Cashew Sector – Embracing Modern Times
In recent years, the Kerala cashew industry has demonstrated resilience and adaptability by implementing modern technologies and sustainable practices. The state has been actively promoting organic cashew cultivation, responding to the growing global demand for organic products. Moreover, the state government has been instrumental in supporting the cashew industry through various initiatives, including financial aid, skill development programmes and infrastructure development. These measures aim to strengthen the overall supply chain and enhance the competitiveness of Kerala’s cashew sector in the international market. The scheme for assistance for capital grants and interest subvention availed by small and medium cashew factory units have helped in rebuilding lost livelihood. The scheme aids partial modernisation, thereby improving productivity and turnover substantially. The assistance also includes interest subvention to cashew factories for the loans taken from financial institutions for their working capital needs. This move made the cashew factories in Kerala sustainable and more competitive.
Revival of Private Sector
A five-member expert committee was constituted by state government to sort out various issues and challenges in the sector, identify potential opportunities and suggest empirical solutions for the long-term viability of cashew industry sector. As per the recommendations of the expert committee, several shortterm schemes were implemented for private cashew processing units to reduce the viability gap and help them sustain. These schemes ensure minimum number of working days and wages to the cashew workers. Some of the schemes that have proved highly beneficial are as follows:
Continued Operation Linked Stimulus Programme
This scheme envisages providing incentives to currently functioning processing units for their sustained operation, better productivity and encouraging restoration of employment and creation of new employment.
Women Friendly Physical Infra Creation / Upgradation
Under this scheme, women friendly physical infrastructure creation is envisioned so that productivity can be enhanced and more youth could be attracted to this industry.
Modernisation / Upgradation of Shelling Units
This programme supports modernisation of shelling sections in the processing units.
Handicrafts Sector – Enchanting Artistry
In Kerala it is estimated that there are about 1.7 lakh handicrafts artisans actively engaged in the sector. There are 32 different crafts in Kerala of which ivory carving, wood and horn carving, bell metal casting hand embroidery, coconut shell carving are important commercial items. The schemes implemented by the Government of Kerala intend to eliminate middlemen, improve the skill of artisans, productivity, increase market opportunities and strengthen co-operatives. The government supports the handicraft sector through initiatives like the One District One Product (ODOP) scheme. Assistance Scheme for Handicrafts Artisans (ASHA) was implemented as a onetime support to handicraft artisans who invested in plant and machinery for a running handicraft unit. The Kerala government also offers a monthly grant to old crafts persons scheme, providing a monthly pension of Rs.1,500/- to artisans aged 75 and above, Rs.1,100/- to artisans aged 60- 75 recognising their contribution to traditional crafts. Through thoroughly deliberated and carefully crafted policies and measures, the Government of Kerala is revitalising the traditional sectors and handholding them towards sustainable development.