Bid to destroy Cashew corporation: Chairman

KOLLAM:  Cashew Development Corporation Chairman R Chandrasekharan has alleged at a press conference here that Additional Chief Secretary of Finance department Dr K M Abraham has been making moves to return 20 factories under the corporation to their owners, thus leading to the virtual shut down of the industry.     

“When Director board members including me went to meet Abraham, we were denied permission for that. Though Rs 28 crore were allotted for the corporation in the last budget, only Rs 18 crore was  sanctioned. Despite the cabinet decision to release the balance amount, he blocked it. The factories have remained shut for the past 47 days and there is also move to deny the workers renewed wages. Abraham’s intention is to help private factory owners,” the chairman said.