Other Societies

Apart from the above major societies, the other trade-wise societies functioning under the control of this department are detailed below:

Handicrafts

Tamil Nadu have important place in the Handicrafts industry. Only very few areas from Thanjavur, Madurai, Trichy, Tirunelveli and Kaniyakumari Districts have been traditionally famous and engaged in Handicrafts industry.

To protect the age-old traditional handicrafts of Tamil Nadu and to improve the economic conditions of traditional artisans in rural areas, handicrafts industrial cooperative societies have been organized throughout Tamil Nadu.

The handicrafts items include bronze icon, bell metal, Art plate, wall panels, wood carvings, stone carvings, sculpture, musical instruments, toys, printed fabrics, bathik printing, artificial diamond and Thanjavur paintings.

Tailoring

With a view to provide employment opportunities to the housewives of police personnel in addition to their husbands income, Tailoring Industrial Cooperative Societies were formed.

These societies are helping the women folk to get a sizeable amount of income by way of stitching the police uniforms.

Cooperative Industrial Estate

Industrial Estates formed under cooperative sector aim at promotion of small and tiny sector industries by way of providing work sheds/developed plots, power, water and all other facilities and amenities required by industrial entrepreneurs at economic cost.

The Tamil Nadu Government and LIC have funded the schemes for the establishment of Cooperative Industrial Estates at a very low rate of interest.

Such Cooperative Industrial Estates have been formed at Vyasarpadi, Pollachi, Sivakasi, Salem, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Madurai, Coimbatore and Nagercoil etc.

Labour Contract

Eradication of contract labour system is obligatory in industries under Contract Labour Abolition Act. Hence, the Government of Tamil Nadu is the pioneer in implementing this statutory requirement by forming Labour service cooperative societies in the State.

The first of this kind was MRL. Indcoserve Limited which was registered in 1983. Similar societies were subsequently formed in NLC Neyveli; BHEL Trichy; BHEL Ranipet; Salem Stainless Steel Plant and Kalpakkam etc.

At present 31 labour contract societies are functioning. Minimum wage, gratuity, bonus, wages with Earn Leave, wages for National and Festival holidays, workman compensation, uniforms and shoes and Medical expenses are obtained from the Principal employer and given to the worker members of the labour contract societies

The members are availing such benefits as per the provisions of Labour Acts and Factories Act.

Engineering

The main object of forming Engineering Industrial Cooperative Societies is to enroll the rural artisans manufacturing Copper Vessels, ITI Certificate holders, metal workers, unemployed Diploma holders and Graduates as members of the societies and to provide them employment through the Societies.

The Engineering Societies manufacture locks, Bobbins required for weaving industries, steel racks, steel guarders and other structural equipments required for the construction.

Certain Engineering societies also undertake servicing of Automobiles and repairs of furniture etc.,

Printing

Printing Cooperative Societies have been formed to help small printing press owners in marketing and also to provide employment to the workers engaged in printing industry.

These societies procure printing orders from Government, Government undertakings, Local Bodies and Cooperative Institutions and execute the order through the member printers and workers.

Brick

The Brick Workers Industrial Cooperative Societies are functioning in the State to provide gainful and continuous employment opportunities, exclusively to the poor Adi Dravidar Brick workers.

At present there are Seven brick societies functioning at the districts namely Nagapattinam, Tiruppur, Trichy, Theni and Tiruvanamalai.

Metal

The Metal Workers Industrial Co-operative Societies have been started with a view to improve the economic conditions of the traditional artisans engaged in the manufacturing of utensils. These societies have been set up mostly in rural areas to provide employment to the artisans belonging to the backward community.

Brass, Copper, Aluminum and Stainless Steel vessels are being produced by the members of these societies.

The utensils are supplied to the Government Hospitals, Adi Dravidar Welfare Hostels, Nutritious Noon Meal Centres, Temples, Rehabilitation Department etc. by the societies.

Special

Under special types, there are 34 societies functioning under this department which includes unique business activities namely

• Analytical Laboratory
• Snake Catchers
• Goods Transport Owners,
• Cement Articles
• Herbals,
• Cashew Processing,
• Readymade Garments,
• Gunny Bag,
• Sundried Paper

which provides employment to the poor people. Apart from the above important trades, Match Services, Leather Finishing and Workers, Coal & Coke, Polythene and Auto & Taxi trade are also functioning under the control of this department.