Clearance after examining partner's credentials: CM

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, SEPT. 20. The Chief Minister, Mr. E.K. Nayanar, has said that the question of giving clearance to the Kannur Power Project would be considered after the Government examined the credentials of El Passo, the American partner of K.P.P Nambiar and Associates who are to implement the project.

Talking to mediapersons after a Cabinet meeting today, the Chief Minister said there was no question of abandoning the Kannur project.

Asked about the stand-off between the Electricity Minister and K. P. P. Nambiar and Associates over clearance for the project, Mr. Nayanar said the Government would have to look into the acceptability of the American partners.

He recalled that an earlier proposal to have Enron as the partner had been rejected by the Government. This proved to be a correct decision as the Maharashtra Government was now having trouble with Enron demanding higher charges for electricity. ``We have to get the details about El Passo. Clearance can be considered only after that.''

Referring to Mr. K. P. P. Nambiar's allegation that the Electricity Minister had deliberately delayed clearance for the project, the Chief Minister said if he had complaints, he could approach the Lok Ayukta.

When a reporter raised concern about the delay in the commissioning of the project, Mr. Nayanar retorted, questioning his bona fide. He said that the project would take another three years to complete and none need to feign much concern about that. The Kayamkulam project had not even taken off during the UDF rule.

Mr. Nayanar said the comments of the Union Minister, Mr. Murli Manohar Joshi, about the failure of the State Government to spur development was incorrect. His comments were intended to hide the continued neglect of the State's needs by the Congress (I) and BJP Governments at the Centre. The State could make considerable progress in power generation during the last four months. While only an additional capacity of 17 MW was added during the UDF administration, the present Government had added 876 MW. The Government set apart 35 to 40 per cent of the Plan funds for local bodies. While 7,991 km of roads were built during the Eighth Plan period, as much as 17,188 km of new roads were built during the first three years of the Ninth Plan.

Denying Mr. Joshi's remark that Kerala had not made any notable progress in the Information Technology sector, the Chief Minister said the Government could develop the Technopark in Thiruvananthapuram to international standards and attract 50 companies to set up shop there. They had recorded an annual growth of 100 per cent.

The projects for computerisation of the treasuries and local bodies were in their last leg. A centre for collection of various fees payable to the Government was opened in Thiruvananthapuram. This would be extended to all districts. The proposed Indian Institute of Technology and Management would be inaugurated by the President, Mr. K. R. Narayanan, in Thiruvananthapuram in November. A project for introducing computer education in schools had been initiated.

He claimed that the State Government was progressing in the field of information technology facing the negative and discriminatory approaches of the Central Government. The Centre did not concede its demand for an Indian Institute of Information Technology in Kerala. Its request for free telecommunication and Internet bandwidth, as given to Andhra Pradesh, had not been granted.

Mr. Nayanar said he had taken up the issue of bandwidth with the Prime Minister. However, replying to questions, he said he was not aware whether a specific project or memorandum had been submitted. He said that the right of way policy for allowing private agencies to lay fibre optic cable along the State roads was under consideration. (The Central Government and other South Indian States have already announced their policies).The Central investment in the State, he said, was dropping. The State Government had to invest for the branch of the Software Technology Park of India in Kerala.

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Section  : Southern States
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