Date:19/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/19/stories/2008101953271700.htm

Business

Kerala shopping fete comes of age

Special Correspondent

State’s all out effort to woo more participants

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Government, learning from the experience of the first year, will take all out effort to make the second edition of the Grand Kerala Shopping Festival (GKSF) a major success with attractive prize packages and a longer period of festive shopping.

The Government’s shopping extravaganza, intended to make the State a shoppers’ paradise, would start on December 1. As much as 40 kilograms of gold would be distributed as prizes during the festival, which would go on till January 15, 2009. The Government will infuse more money for upgrading major markets in the State and giving prizes.

Of the budgeted outlay of Rs. 20 crore for the festival, Rs. 5 crore would be spent on renovating the Chalai market here, Broadway and Mattanchery markets in Ernakulam and Mithayi theruvu (SM Street) in Kozhikode. The Government has already received enthusiastic support from the trading community with merchant associations that were not part of the first GKSF deciding to be part of the second edition.

The 14 districts in the State have been divided into three zones and the number of prizes has been increased to attract more participants. Draws will be held every week. The first prize winner in each of the three zones would get 25 gold sovereigns. Three persons from each zone would get five gold sovereigns and 300 persons would get one sovereign every week during the course of the festival.

Besides, there would be a mega first prize of five kilograms of gold. The second prize of half-a-kilogram gold will be given to nine people. The registered merchants would also get prizes. The first prize for the merchants is one kilogram of gold and second prize is half-a-kilogram of gold. The participation in the festival is open to all retail/wholesale/manufacturers/hospitality establishments in the State.