MF AHMAD
Daltonganj, Jan 7: Palamu administration has decided to take serious steps to revive the sinking Koel Aajeevika Apparel Park (KAAP) in Chainpur block. The KAAP has no work for its long fleet of rural women, members of Sakhi Mandal, to cut and stitch any piece of fabric.
Lagatar24.com, a couple of days ago, carried a story about KAAP on how it is languishing for want of no order/demand for fabric work. On Friday, Palamu DC Anjaneyulu Dodde, DDC Ravi Anand and others reached KAAP and took stock of the situation. The two found it all shut and out of business.
Notably, the district programme manager of JSLPS Bimlesh Kumar Shukla apprised the senior officials of the KAAP and shared notes for its revival.
DC Dodde said, “There is a strong need to revive it. The first is to ensure KAAP has working capital. It has none now.”
Moreover, KAAP is bogged down with liabilities. The first liability is it is stocked with ready-to-wear government school uniforms worth Rs 22 lakh for which no government school is ready to buy it following a change in the colour of the uniform for government school children.
Dodde added that the stock has to be dealt with first and DPM Shukla is in touch with some parties in Ranchi.
“We will try to auction this stitched and ready-to-wear school uniform,” he said.
Dodde went on to say that JSLPS and education officials have been directed to chalk out a common minimum strategy in regard to school uniforms so that KAAP can withstand the financial crunch.
DPM JSLPS Bimlesh Kumar Shukla said under the directive of the DC, they are looking forward to having a truck with the education department for stitching uniforms from classes 1 to 3.
There are around 40,000 children in the government schools beginning from classes one to three in Palamu, said Shukla.
The second liability for t KAAP is its monthly mounting electricity bill which is around Rs 35,000 to 36, 000 even during the dead season of work when no stitching machine operates.
DC added that he is confident of finding out some ways and means to bail out KAAP of the huge load of the electricity bill.
