The city Corporation is moving into cloth bag manufacturing with the opening of four manufacturing units in the city on Monday. After the civic body imposed a ban on plastic carry bags in 2017, it has been trying to popularise alternative products in the market. The Corporation even organised a month-long mela with manufacturers of cloth and paper bags participating. But the lack of its own facility has prevented it from pushing the products in a big way.
The cloth bag units will be opened at Vallakakdavu, Muttada, Pongumoodu, and Valiyavila. A total of 150 Kudumbashree workers have already been trained by the Corporation in cloth bag manufacturing.
“Since the initial investment, including the raw materials, is from our Plan fund and because the units are functioning from our own buildings, the Corporation can afford to provide cloth bags at lower rates,” said a Corporation official.
The Corporation has planned a decentralised model, with around ten manufacturing units spread across the city. Women staying in the surrounding areas will be trained and recruited. The cloth for the units is being procured from the Kerala Textile Corporation, at a rate of ₹45 a metre.
