Bhubaneswar, May 2 (KNN) Three of the five coir clusters launched by the Coir Board across Odisha in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic have shut down within two years of their launch, due to a lack of employment opportunities.

The Coir Board, under the Union Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), had established the clusters in Bhogarai (Balasore district), Konark (Gop, Puri district), and Rajkanika (Kendrapara district) with the aim of providing financial assistance to coconut farmers and generating jobs, reported PN.

According to a senior official from the Coir Board, while the initiative had targeted the recruitment of around 1,000 employees, no significant steps were taken in this regard, ultimately leading to the closure of these clusters due to an acute shortage of workforce.

The two remaining clusters in Delanga and Satyabadi areas of Puri district are also reportedly struggling to sustain operations in the absence of adequate employment opportunities.

Odisha, known for its abundant coconut cultivation, holds significant potential for the coir-based industry. In 2021, the Coir Board had announced plans to revive the Odisha Cooperative Coir Corporation, aiming to generate employment for approximately 50,000 women in the state. However, no recruitment has taken place so far, the official stated.

Sunil Kumar from the Jagamara Coir Board office in Bhubaneswar said that while the Coir Board and the state government provide stipends and training facilities to coir workers and artisans, efforts are underway to reopen the shuttered clusters and address the employment shortfall.

The closure of these coir clusters has raised concerns about the state's ability to capitalise on the economic opportunities presented by the coir industry, which holds immense potential for job creation, particularly in rural areas with a significant presence of coconut farming.

(KNN Bureau)