Kerala State Cashew Development Corporation (KSCDC) has inducted 2,000 new labourers on Kerala Piravi Day as part of the State government’s 100-day action plan.
The new recruits will be attached to the cutting, peeling and grading sections of KSCDC factories. The appointment orders were handed over by Minister J. Mercykutty Amma on Sunday at a function held on the premises of KSCDC factory at Ayathil.
Thirteen persons from scheduled tribe category are also part of the new workforce. Since LDF government came into power, KSCDC has taken 5,000 new labourers in its 30 factories and the corporation will be recruiting 2,000 more in connection with the action plan.
“The government has been paying special attention to both government-run factories and private processing units in the cashew sector. The government had sanctioned the fund for disbursing the gratuity of cashew labourers and renovating the factories. Along with recruiting, steps will be taken to ensure them continuous working days,” said the Minister.
In order to protect the crisis-hit sector, interest-free loans and provision to restructure loans were also introduced by the government for private processors who have been declared non-performing assets (NPAs). “Private processors have been given ₹5 crore and we could also restore the MBBS seat reservation for the children of cashew labourers through protests and legal measures,” she added. The government had allocated ₹12 crore for renovating all 30 factories of the corporation to give them a modern and employee-friendly makeover. The renovated factories have separate sections for shelling, peeling and grading along with dining room, toilet blocks, creche and canteen.
The corporation had also procured 2,000 tonnes of RCN from the local farms in Kannur and Kasaragod during the lockdown to keep their factories operational during the last few months. “The functioning of the corporation during the last five years has been transparent, corruption-free and employee-welfare oriented,” said KSCDC chairman S. Jayamohan, who presided over the function. Administrative board member G. Babu, managing director Rajesh Ramakrishnan, staff members, and trade union representatives were also present on the occasion.
