Rs. 750-crore projects for KMML approved

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, JAN. 19. The Cabinet on Wednesday approved investment proposals of the Kerala Minerals and Metals Limited (KMML) for more than Rs. 750 crores.The company proposes to set up an additional mineral separation plant and double the capacity of its titanium dioxide pigment plant. An oxygen plant with a capacity of hundred tonnes per day has also been proposed.

The mineral separation plant, which will have a capacity to produce three lakh tonnes of ilminite a year, will cost about Rs. 293 crores. The oxygen plant would cost about Rs. 52 crores and pigment plant about Rs. 416 crores.

The Chief Minister told presspersons that the projects would be completed in two to three years and would be funded using internal accruals and loans from financial institutions. The company was running on profit now. (This year's gross profit will be about Rs. 100 crores).

Mr. Nayanar said that the delegation of Indo-US Entrepreneurs Group, that visited him on Monday from Silicon Valley in the U.S., had promised Rs. 21 crores for the Institute of Information Technology and Management. He had also been invited to the Valley. But he would not be going as his health would not permit another trip to the U.S.

He said that the Cabinet had decided to sanction 15 Government lower primary schools in Idukki district and eight in Palakkad district under the District Primary Education Programme. Technical assistants in Computer Science and Electronics were sanctioned to 11 colleges in the State.The Cabinet also decided to set up three modern rice mills at Thakazhi and Vechoor at a cost of Rs. 556 lakhs.

He said that 27 CLR workers of the Kerala Water Authority, who had put in 240 days of service during 12 months between May 25, 1990 and 1993 and who were continuing in service now, would be confirmed as NMR workers with retrospective effect. The pay scales of the workers of the Meat Products of India would be revised. The company had wiped out its accumulated losses this year. The pay scales of the employees of State Coir Development Corporation would be revised subject to conditions.

The Cabinet approved proposals to set up 100 new Ayurveda hospitals in the State in a phased manner and sanctioned posts of medical officers and other staff for them. Dental clinics would be set up at Nadapuram in Kozhikode district and Attingal in Thiruvananthapuram district. The Cabinet sanctioned posts of a dental surgeon, dental hygienist and a nursing assistant each for these clinics.

The Cabinet allocated Rs. 214.5 lakhs to the Police Department for unavoidable expenses relating to policing at Sabarimala during the Mandala Vilakku festival. The term of 11 senior Government pleaders and eight Government pleaders will be extended by two years from the date of expiry of their current term as per another decision of the Cabinet.Earlier, the Chief Minister presented the Karshaka Tilak Award, instituted by the Gandhiji Study Centre for the best farmer of the year, to Mr. Yoosuf Haji of Kanhangad. The award carries Rs. 1 lakh and a citation.

The Education Minister, Mr. P. J. Joseph, who is the chairman of the centre, said that the award is given to farmers who excelled in organic farming.

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