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Cashew workers relieved as govt releases gratuity dues

The chief minister was requested to provide financial support to the families of the jobless workers.

Kollam: The cashew workers of Kollam can heave a sigh of relief as the government has allotted Rs 30 crore to the Kerala State Cashew Development Corporation from which the long-pending gratuity dues of the employees will be paid off.

The corporation has floated a tender for the procurement of 1,000 tonnes out of a proposed 2,000 tonnes of raw cashew, which would enable the 30 factories under the corporation to give employment to over 10,000 workers who have been jobless for the past seven months.

The government in this financial year has allotted a total of Rs 115 crore to the corporation. However, the factories under the corporation remained shut. “The government has given the fund for paying off gratuity for the second time. The money given earlier did not benefit the destitute workers. The former MD and the chairman who are facing a CBI probe for corruption had also bought two cars worth '33 lakh using this money,” said Mr Kadakampally Manoj, the anti-corruption crusader.

The chief minister was requested to provide financial support to the families of the jobless workers. Meanwhile, it is unlikely that the factories will open in the near future as it is off-season for raw cashew till April, though the tender for purchasing cashew has been floated.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle. )
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