The Hindu Business Line : IT companies seek `enabling environment' to do business in Kerala

INFOSYS Technologies is on the growing list of IT companies, either functioning already or intending to do so soon, that have approached the State Government with a request to ensure an "enabling environment" to conduct business.

Announcing this in the State Assembly, the Industries Minister, Mr P.K. Kunhalikkutty, said these companies had expressed apprehensions over the recurrence of bandhs and hartals that threatened to disrupt their work schedules.

Companies engaged in the call centre, BPO and ITeS sectors stood to lose the maximum from these unfortunate incidents.

Among the list of companies that had approached the Government for assurance in this regard are Seaview Support Systems, RM Education Solutions, Alamy India, Alliance Cornhill, DSI Technologies and Visual Graphics, the Minister added.

Food processing: Mr Kunhalikutty told the House that the Government had identified food processing as a thrust area.

The Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) had opened a food-processing park at Kakkancherry in Malappuram district. More such parks would be opened for which a number of locations had been identified.

The food-processing mission recently launched by the Government envisioned the creation of a State-specific brand for value-added food products locally, the Minister added.

Saline water ingression: The State Government is seized of the recurring problem of incursion of saline water into paddy fields in the Kuttanadu area.

Efforts are under way to address the same in as effective a manner possible, according to the Chief Minister, Mr A.K. Antony.

Replying to a Calling Attention motion, he admitted that the Government had failed to keep the shutters of the Thanneermukkom bund and the Thottappally barrage in shape during the last season.

As a result, saline water had entered the paddy fields, flattening the standing crop. Those farmers who had lost crop in this manner would be compensated.

Intervening in the discussion, the Water Resources Minister, Mr T.M. Jacob, said that out of the 62 shutters at Thanneermukkom, 59 had been replaced; work on the other three were progressing.

At Thottappally, 14 out of the 40 shutters had been repaired. The Minister assured members that all necessary steps would be taken to see that the problem did not recur during the next crop year.

Groundwater data: The Water Resources Minister further announced that a comprehensive data bank on the quantum of groundwater available across the State would be ready in six-week's time.

The National Remote Sensing Agency had completed the satellite mapping of the State for the purpose.

Minimum wages: The Labour Minister, Mr Babu Divakaran, told the House that a notification revising minimum wages in the plantation industry would be issued as soon as the Government received recommendations to this effect from the Plantation Labour Committee (PLC).

Replying to questions, the PLC meeting scheduled for July 26 would possibly reach a consensus on wage revision.

The Government would not spare any effort to ensure that all estates that have been lying closed for various reasons resume operations at the earliest possible.

Several concessions had been offered to make this happen.

All plantation workers who remained unemployed were being supplied with assistance. A sum of Rs 5 crore had been spent on distribution of study material to children of the affected.