KOTTAYAM INDUSTRY

The growth Kottayam has achieved in the industrial sector during the past few years is considerable. Significant growth has been achieved in the agro-based industrial sector especially Rubber based industries, food products, Engineering and other service sector industries.

Kerala produces 90 per cent of the rubber production in India, major part being the contribution of Kottayam. The increasing out put in production and the advent of modern processing techniques has resulted in the establishment of rubber based industrial units like latex, crepe rubber and latex diversifying into items such as M.C. sheets, foot wear etc.

The district has a rich forest wealth with good availability of soft wood and other varieties of timber. As a result, many industries like plywood, packing cases splints and veneers, furniture etc. are thriving.

There are 13 large and medium scale industries functioning in the district. Of this, one is in the central public sector, two each in the state public sector and co-operative sector. The only central public sector undertaking in the district is the Hindustan News Print Limited at Velloor in Vaikom taluk which is engaged in the production of News print.

Travancore Cements Limited at Nattakom is the major state public sector undertaking in the district which manufacture the unique white cement. Two major industrial estates have set up in Changanassery and Ettumanoor apart from the 12 mini industrial estates at Nattakom, Kumaranalloor, Pampady, Karukachal, Madappally, Payppadu, Manimala, Erattupetta, Mutholi, T.V. Puram, Ayarkunnam and Aymanam. Industrial development plots have been developed at Vaikom, Athirampuzha and Poovanthuruthu. A Common Facility Service Centre, Training Centre and Field Testing Laboratary for Rubber-Plastic Industries has set up at Changanassery and a Central Government Production cum Training Centre at Ettumanoor. Rubco opened a new factory at Pampady in 2001.

The number of Small Scale Industrial Units registered as on 31.03.1999 is 20809. These units generated 75000 employment opportunities. Around 1000 artisan units and 2000 non registered small scale units providing 1.18 lakh employment opportunities is functioning in the district. The number of registered sick unit comes to 239. In 1998 , there were 3198 women S.S.I. Units and 423 SC/ST Units.

The coir industry in the district is more or less confined to Vaikom taluk. There are 27 coir co-operatives and 20000 workers. In the hand- loom sector, there is eight co-operative societies which provide employment to 2100 persons. In 1998, there were 151 industrial co-operatives in the district of which 63 women, 18 SC and 4 ST.

The Rubber Board, District Industries Centre and the Common Facility Service Centre, Changanassery with the Co-operation of Kitco, Centre for Management Development and SIDCO organizes entrepreneur development programmes. The DIC is implementing schemes like capital investment subsidy, sales tax exemption, money margin and development loan for SC entrepreneurs. 15% of capital investment, maximum being 15 lakh, was given as subsidy for starting new industries. Subsidy up to 20 lakh was given to new industries in the I.T, rubber, engineering, elctronics, leather and food products sector.