The Ramanathapuram District Cooperative Spinning Mill, which was started exclusively for Dalits during former Chief Minister’s M.G. Ramachandran’s regime in 1982 and remained defunct for the last 10 years, was reopened on Wednesday after modernisation programme at a cost of Rs.28.02 crore.
Minister for Handlooms and Textiles S. Gokula Indira inaugurated the trial run of the mills located at Achankulam in Kamudhi taluk in the presence of Minister for Sports and Youth Welfare S Sundararaj, Principal Secretary, Hanlooms and Textiles Harmander Singh, Director, Handloom and Textiles T N Venkatesh and Collector K Nanthakumar. The mill which became defunct about 10 years ago owing to labour problem and other factors was modernised based on the suggestions given by the South India Textiles Research Association (SITRA). Thanks to the reopening of the mills, about 200 dalits in the area would get employment.
With the installed capacity of 12,096 spindles, the mills would start the commercial production by next month and would produce about 3,700 kg of cone yarn and hank yarn per day.
The grey yarn would be supplied to the government for distribution to the cooperative societies which produced saris, dhoties and school uniforms for free distribution, its Managing Director P. Srinivasan said.
Mudukulathur MLA M Murugan, District Panchayat Union Chairman M Sundarapandian, AIADMK district secretary R Dharmar, Spinning Mill president G.G. Kasiviswanathan and Ramanathapuram Municipality Vice Chairperson Kavitha Sasikumar were among others present.
