DEVELOPMENTAL DEPARTMENTS

the department OF cottage INDUSTRIES AND industrial co-operatives.

COTTAGE INDUSTRIES AND INDUSTRIAL CO-OPERATIVES.

Organisation.

RATNAGIRI OFFICE IS UNDER THE ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROL of the Assistant Director of Cottage Industries and Assistant Registrar for Industrial Co-operatives, Thana at the sub-divisional level, and under the administrative control of the Deputy Director of Cottage Industries and Deputy Registrar for Industrial Co-operatives, Bombay Division, Mulund at the divisional level. The Director of Cottage Industries and Additional Registrar for Industrial Cooperatives, Maharashtra State, Poona, is the head of the Department. The Assistant Director of Cottage Industries and Assistant Registrar for Industrial Co-operatives, Thana, has general powers of supervision over:

(1) Demonstration parties and peripatetic schools,

(2) Industrial co-operative societies, and

(3) Survey work in connection with industrial co-operatives, and village industries.

He has general control over the staff in the district pertaining to the cottage industries and industrial co-operatives. He entertains and scrutinises applications for loans from individual artisans, educated unemployed, backward class persons and co-operative societies, and forwards them to the Deputy Director concerned or Director of Cottage Industries as the case may be. He also sees that agreements in connection with the loans sanctioned are properly executed, after which the loans are disbursed by him. He endeavours to introduce improved implements and improved methods of production in village and cottage industries and communicates to the Small Industries Research Institute at Poona the problems requiring research in regard to such implements and methods. He has to maintain contact with associations of artisans or with individual artisans in the district who have distinguished themselves in their respective industries, make a continuous study of the needs of the different cottage and village industries, and try to revive decaying and extinct industries, particularly through utilisation of locally available raw materials. It is partly his duty to prepare schemes for the development of industrial co-operatives and village industries. The District Officer for Cottage Industries and Industrial Co-operatives, Ratnagiri, is the head of the office for the district. He is mainly responsible for organisation and promotion of industrial co-operatives and supervises and controls the industrial co-operative societies, Government training schools and production centres, Government individual loans administered under various schemes, Government loans to co-operative societies and their recoveries, revival of decayed cottage industries, propaganda for introduction of improved tools and equipments, preparation of schemes for the development of cottage industries, etc., with the help of the staff as under:

(i) Industrial Supervisor (One) (II Grade).

(ii) Industrial Supervisors (Two) (III Grade).

(iii) Senior Clerk (One).

Industrial Co-operative Societies.

There were in all 43 industrial co-operative societies as on 30th June, 1958 working of the societies may be seen from the figures given below:

Industrial Training Schools.

There are in all seven training schools and two production centres. The details are as under:-

The students are instructed in theory and are given practicals. Each student is paid Rs. 20 per month as stipend subject to good attendance and good behaviour. An Assistant Instructor is appointed over each institution. The duration of the course is of three months only.

Technical Experts.

The technical experts employed by this department, having their headquarters outside the district, are available for consultation and advice to the artisans of the district during their periodical tours.

Sann-hemp Industry.

The course of the training is of one year. Each student gets Rs. 25 per month as stipend. The Instructor and Assistant Instructor are appointed over each school and impart lessons as per syllabus laid down by the department.

It is a course of one year. The students are paid Rs. 20 and Rs. 25 as stipend for the rural and urban location respectively. The Instructor and Assistant Instructor instruct the students as per syllabus laid down.

Production Centres.

There are two production centres in the district. Production Centre at Ratnagiri deals in hosiery industry. It has two sections (1) training section and (2) production section. Fifteen students are admitted per term for a period of six months. Each is granted a stipend of Rs. 25 per month. After completion of the training the trained workers are taken up on production wing and are given work on piece work basis and paid wages as per scheduled rate approved by the Director of Cottage Industries and Additional Registrar for Industrial Co-operatives, Maharashtra State, Poona. The staff consists of the foreman instructor, storekeeper-cum-accountant, skilled worker and a peon. The other production centre is at Aronda, taluka Sawantwadi. The trained workers are admitted in the workshop on piece work basis and are paid wages at settled rates. There is no training section attached to the centre. The centre is well equipped with tools, equipments and improved machinery. The staff consists of a foreman, a junior clerk and a watchman-cum-peon. The production centre meets the demand of the public as well as Government as per orders.

Technical Experts.

The technical officers with headquarters at Poona under various industries are available for consultation, advice and guidance to these institutions during their periodical tours.

Coir Extraction and Spinning Institution and Factory at Vengurla.―A scheme for the development of coir industry has been prepared and budget provision for Rs. 51,900 during the current year is also made. Government orders sanctioning the continuance of the scheme have been received under Government Resolution, Industries and Co-operation Department, No. CIP-2829/25176-In Co.-I dated 26th February 1959 and the scheme is being implemented. The factory provides employment to skilled and un-skilled workers on daily wage basis.

Work of National Extension Service Blocks.

There are in all six National Extension Service Blocks working in this district. Out of these six National Extension Service Blocks, Mandangad Block is of 2nd stage and the remaining are all 1st stage Blocks. A meeting of all Block Development Officers was called in 1959, to chalk out schemes under Rural Arts and Crafts Industries. The cottage industries scheme formulated by the Block-Development Officers are approved and they are being implemented by them in Block areas.

Khadi and Village Industries.

Besides the above mentioned activities, the Village Industries Branch, Ratnagiri has undertaken various activities in the district such as soap making, oil extraction, leather and tanning development, Saranjam Karyalaya, Ambar Charkha, etc. The Village Industry Committee in the district grants working capital and loan for the purchase of improved tools and equipment and also makes advances towards the contribution of share capital of the co-operative societies.

Co-ordination with Small-Scale Industries.

Co-ordination with Small-Scale Industries.-A Co-ordination Committee consisting of the Registrar of Co-operative Societies, the Director of Industries and the Joint Registrar for Industrial Co-operatives and Village Industries, one representative of the Village Industries Committee and one representative of the Provincial Industrial Co-operative Association has been set up to co-ordinate the interests of cottage and village industries on the one hand and Small-Scale Industries on the other.

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