The Hindu : GIM: pre-feasibility reports for 50 projects

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 10, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala

GIM: pre-feasibility reports for 50 projects

By Our Special Correspondent

KOCHI Jan. 9. Pre-feasibility reports for 50 projects to be submitted at the Global Investors Meet(GIM) are already complete, said Jiji Thomson, managing director, Kerala State Industries Development Coproration(KSIDC), nodal agency for the GIM. Talking to reporters here this evening, Mr. Thomson said that nearly 100 project ideas would be showcased to prospective investors at the global meet in which nearly 750 delegates would attend. The groundwork has been undertaken by the KSIDC and other agencies during the past one year for making the GIM a success. However, he cautioned against building up a hype around the GIM the outcome of which would have to be adjudged after years and the benefit that may accrue to the State in the form of investments would be long in coming. Also, he emphasized that no decision would be taken at the GIM and the agreement, if any, would be signed only after the proposals were discussed with the all-party representatives and with Cabinet approval. At the most, what may happen was signing of MoUs in the rarest of rare cases, he said.

Answering a question, he said no irrigation project would be taken up at the GIM. The cost of the conduct of the meet was pegged at around Rs.five crores.

He said the development schemes undertaken by the Government since April 2001 would come as investment. The GIM is expected to showcase projects worth Rs.7,788 crores. This could go up to Rs.10,000 crores if more proposals are taken up by the end of the meet, he said.

Various Government departments like the KWA, PWD, Housing Board, Health, Education and KSRTC had projects to the tune of Rs.1,026.81 crores, medium and large scale industries yet another project proposal to the tune of Rs.1,124 crores, while smallscale industries have projects worth Rs.67.32 crores. Projects under active promotion at GIM account for another Rs.5,570 crores. These include the Kochi skybus metro project (Rs. 830 crores), an international residential school at Thiruvananthapuram (Rs.20 crores), seasand mining ( Rs.300 crores), illemnite mining (Rs.1,500 crores), holistic health village (Rs.250 crores) and the Kannur airport project (Rs. 300 crores). On implementation these projects would provide employment to 1,40,000 persons, he said.

To another question, the KSIDC managing director said the traditional sector along with the manufacturing sector would get pride of place at GIM.

Meanwhile, KSIDC signed an MoU today with the Cochin Shipyard Limited to promote a technology park in Kochi, said Venu Nallur of the corporation. The project envisages promotion of electronics hardware units, IT and other knowledge-based units at the park at Panampilly Nagar where the CSL owns land. The total cost of the project is Rs. 65 crores and it will be promoted as a joint venture between the shipyard, KSIDC and a select private group. The park is expected to provide employment to 10,000 persons. The project will be showcased in the GIM to attract private investment.

The KSIDC also signed another MoU today with the Galfar group to set up an oceanarium-cum-hi-tech theme park at Kovalam. The cost of the project is estimated at Rs.20 crores and is to be implemented in 15 months, added Mr Jiji Thomsun.

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