The Kerala Books and Publications Society (KBPS) in Kakkanad is seeing a revival of activities with the resumption of printing of lottery tickets as well as near completion of printing of school textbook volumes needed for the academic year 2021-22.
The KBPS had faced disruption in operations due to the spread of COVID-19 earlier this year, but printing works were being brought back to near normal, adhering to the pandemic protocol, said managing director Soorya Thankappan. The activities of the society had been affected with the stoppage of lottery sales in the State as part of the efforts to contain COVID-19 outbreak.
Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal had said early this month that 237 lottery draws were suspended as part of the government efforts to contain the pandemic.
KBPS trade union sources said the society had now received orders for printing paper lotteries for four draws. The KBPS has the capacity to print about one crore to 1.10 crore tickets per day.
The KBPS also had orders for printing 4.20 crore textbooks in three volumes for the academic year 2021-22. Of those, the first volumes, comprising 2.65 crore textbooks, had been printed and their distribution is under way. There are 1.41 crore textbooks of the second volume, the printing of which is being completed. About 1.30 crore of the second volume textbooks had been completed and the remaining texts could be printed in about a week’s time, added sources. What has held up the completion of the works is a glitch developed in one of the main machines engaged in printing the texts.
There are around 14 lakh books to be printed as part of the third volume of the school textbooks. The printing works would take only about a week’s time for completion, sources added.
The operation of the printing society was severely affected by the spread of COVID-19 among employees in early May during the second wave of the pandemic. There are around 170 permanent employees and another 400 workers, including those on daily wages and engaged in canteen operations.
