Position of Important Village Industries in Kanyakumari District
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International Journal of Research ISSN NO : 2236-6124 Position of Important Village Industries in Kanyakumari District K. Vijayakumari Ph.D. Research Scholar (Reg. No.9712) Department of History, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Abishekapatti, Tirunelveli – 627 012, Tamil Nadu, India Dr. Revathi Thomas Research Supervisor Post Graduate and Research Department of History, Women’s Christian College, Nagercoil – 629 001. (Affiliated to Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Abishekapatti, Tirunelveli – 627 012, Tamil Nadu, India) Kanyakumari is mainly an agricultural district. Its prosperity is mainly dependent on the development of agricultural resources. Intensive efforts are increasingly being made to raise the yield of different crops by adopting modern methods of cultivation. But agriculture alone cannot contribute to increase the income of the local people, since the area of cultivation is limited in relation to its growing population. Therefore, it is imperative that secondary sectors, particularly cottage industries, are also developed in order to provide employment opportunities to the unemployed. This paper seeks to highlight the position of some of the important village industries in Kanyakumari District. Keywords: NABARD, Credit, Rural Development, Rural Prosperity. Introduction Village industries may be defined as those that manufacture articles needed in the villages utilizing tools and implements, raw materials, and human or animal power which are locally available. These industries play a vital role in the district in view of their capacity to generate employment opportunities in the rural sector at a low capital cost, developing local initiative, co-operation and a spirit of self reliance in the economy, helping in the utilization of the available manpower for processing locally simple techniques, offering employment at the place of residence to a large section of rural population and providing seasonal part time employment to the rural people suffering from underemployment owing to the seasonal character of agricultural operations. Further, cottage industries require lesser gestation period and produce goods required by the common man. They are eminently suited for initiating the process of industrialization in the backward areas of the district on a dispersed basis and they have the capacity to rectify the regional imbalances. These industries have, therefore, been accorded an important place in this credit plan with a view to achieve rapid industrialization of rural areas. The Khadi and Village Industries Commission and Tamil Nadu Khadi and Village Industries Board provide assistance to artisans by way of loans for meeting working capital requirements and also for the purchase of tools and implements in the cases of selected industries. Besides these, they also assist the respective industries in marketing their products, in training their artisans and in promoting research in the production techniques. Volume VI, Issue XI, November/2017 Page No:72 International Journal of Research ISSN NO : 2236-6124 One of the main bottlenecks which hampers the growth of industries in this district is the non-availability of vacant lands for setting up industries. The high cost of land also contributes to low development of industries in this district. Though this district has got enough raw materials and infrastructural facilities, it has to take a seat in the back bench in the field of industrial development. With the growing rate of unemployment due to stiff competition from other districts, the educated youth of this district are now inclined to take up industrial ventures. It is therefore, expected that there will be rapid industrial development in this district in the coming years. The details of rural industries in this district are discussed below. Banana Fibre: Banana fibre is used to produce bags, table mats, and many other items. Banana fibre crafts is flourishing in Agasteeswaram and Killiyoor blocks. The value of the banana fibre products produced in the year 1999 2000 was estimated at Rs. 180970003. Wood Carving: This is very popular in the district which is evident from the fact that even today one can see the workmanship in the temple doors and the furniture in the monumental palace at Padmanabhapuram. However, lack of encouragement and increase in production costs have led to the wane of this traditional craft. The Tamil Nadu Handicrafts Development Corporation Limited in order to encourage and promote industries, have set up a Poompuhar Temple Car Training Centre at Nagercoil to impart training in wood crafts such as wood carvings, building temple cars and carved wooden doors. To market the finished products, a showroom with sales centre in Kanyakumari has been set up by the Poompuhar. This product commands good demand at Kanyakumari. In Kanyakumari district, the value of wood carving articles produced in the year 1999-2000 stood at Rs.36400006. Sandal Wood Carving: Sandal wood is used to make portraits of god and goddess, panels and the like. The value of sandal wood carvings produced in Kanyakumari district in the year 1999-2000 was Rs.250000. Stone Carving: This is a traditional craft which flourished under the Pandiyan kings known for their inexorable interest in art and architecture. In the temple at Suchindrum which is known for its exquisite stone carvings is a standing monument of the ancient architectural marvels. This traditional art has found its way into the 20th century also, for example the Vivekananda Rock Memorial was constructed meticulously with blue and red granite. The red granite used for the shikharams of the mandapam is very unique and imposing. It has won the appreciation of one and all the world over. These two constructions thus reveal the traditional standards and the perfection attained in architecture. In fact it is a harmonious blend of traditional art and architecture. These arts still have roots in Mylaudy Thirupathisaram and Aralvoimozhi. Lace and Embroidery Work: This craft was popularized in Kanyakumari district by the early missionaries. The workmen ship of the needle craft practiced in the district is superb. The craft is now so important especially for its prospects in employing the largest number of rural women folk. The artisans have their own designs, colours and patterns. Lace and embroidery manufacturing centers are found concentrated in Nagercoil, Marthandam, Neyyoor, Mulagamood, Kanjiracode, Irenipuram, Ki lliyoor, Raj akkamangalam, Kuruthancode, Thuckalay and thiruvattar. The C.S.I. Lace and Embroidery unit, Nagercoil is the pioneer institution, which manufactures and exports the lace and the embroidery products of village women. Kora Grass Mat: This is one of the most popular crafts of this district. This is a cottage industry which employs a large number of womenfolk and children. The korai grass is not available locally but procured from Karur in Tiruchirappalli district and Vellore in North Arcot district. However, the korai grass available in Vellore is much different from the same available in Karur. The popular korai grass varieties used here are Koolamattam and Marmattam. Mat weaving centers are at Thuckalay, Madhavalayam, Sooraangudi, Thittuvilai, Ethampoly, Irnepuram, Killiyoor, Athicode, Thiruvancode, Kanyakumari, Rajakkamangalam blocks, Thovalai blocks and Kottar. The kora grass is used to produce mats of various designs and colours. The value of kora grass mats produced in the year 1999-2000 was found to be Rs. 15999000 in Kanyakumari district. Volume VI, Issue XI, November/2017 Page No:73 International Journal of Research ISSN NO : 2236-6124 Reed and Bamboo Articles: The area situated right below the western ghats has a reserve of lush forest where there is an abundant supply of reeds and bamboos. They grow in the midst of rubber, cardamom and other commercial crops. Mat weaving is purely a cottage industry. This craft is practiced by tribal people mostly inhabiting places below the mountain slopes. Though a wide range of articles are being made in this district, the most popular is the conical basket which is commercially used for packing fruits, flowers, betel leaves and the like. Modern units located at Kanyakumari are manufacturing dinner mats and wall hangings as well. Palm Leaf and Screw pine Articles: This is also one of the important crafts in Kanyakumari district. Mostly, adivasis and backward communities living along the slopes of western ghats have taken up to this avocation such as baskets and mat weaving out of palm leaf and screw pine which are used in packing betel leaves, fruits, flowers, fishes, jaggery etc. for transportation. These baskets are in big demand locally. Fancy bags are also manufactured. Palmyrah leaf products are largely manufactured in all the blocks. These industries are amply found in Edaicode, Mecode, Thiruvithan code, Palugal, Azhagiamandapam, Mettukadai and Thuckalay. Fancy articles which attract the attention of the tourists such as baskets and boxes with coloured leaf are manufactured on a large scale in tourist place like Kanyakumari. On an average, an artisan can weave 4 to 6 mats a day. Apart from the value of the palm as a source of gur and other products, the palmyrah palm also gives a fibre which has special characteristics and are in demand in many foreign countries for the manufacture of brushes. The fibre is extracted from the base of the palm leaf sheath of young trees. The artisans take young palms on lease for the extraction of fibre. The fibre is usually sold to traders who in turn either export the fibre to foreign countries or sell it locally to the brush manufacturers. The raw fibre is sorted out, combed, dyed and then sold out to the traders. Palm leaf product is also used to produce fancy caps, trays, bags of different designs and varieties. The total value of palm leaf products produced in the year 1999-2000 was estimated at Rs.3034000 in this district. Sea Shell Craft: Varieties of beautiful and exquisite fancy shell products are being turned out in the district by deft hands of people, mainly women. They are available in Kanyakumari, Swaminathapuram, Kottaram, Pottayadi, and Suchindram areas.