The Hindu Business Line : Kerala Govt prioritises 10 projects

AN international container trans-shipment terminal at Vizhinjam, the Kochi metro rail system, the Kannur airport and the low-cost Kerala Airlines are among the 10 projects prioritised by the Kerala Government. .

The other projects in the list, which was approved by the State Cabinet on Wednesday, are the Chamravattom regulator-cum-bridge, the Sabarimala road on build-operate-transfer basis, the Meenachil river valley revised scheme, the Palakapandi irrigation project in Palakkad district, the Coastal Area Development Agency and the Hill Area Development Agency.

Work on these projects will start before the end of the Government's tenure.

The Chief Minister, Mr Oommen Chandy, told newspersons after the Cabinet meeting that the Government was in possession of the feasibility study on the Kerala Airlines. Consultants Ernst & Young had been entrusted with preparing the detailed project report.

The Cochin International Airports Ltd, meanwhile, has formed a sub-committee to work out the other details of the project. The detailed project report will be ready by November, said Mr Chandy.

The Chief Minister said the Centre had cleared the Kannur airport project. The only hitch is that the rules regarding new airports stipulated that land should be acquired for a second runway even while the airport starts functioning with a single runway. This will entail a huge cost for the Government. However, the Centre had exempted the Kannur airport project from the provision for a second runway.

On the Smart City project, Mr Chandy said the Chief Secretary had been assigned to sign the memorandum of understanding with Dubai Internet City, the promoters.

A decision on the date and the venue of the signing of MoU would be decided later. The work on this project, too, will be initiated during the tenure of the current Government, he added.

The Cabinet also decided to procure copra through agencies identified by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development till the market price of the commodity reached the support price of Rs 3,570 per quintal. As of now, the market price is Rs 3,325 per quintal.

The Chief Minister said the Centre had cleared Rs 50 crore as first instalment of its assistance to the State towards flood relief. He had submitted a memorandum to the Centre asking for a total assistance of Rs 337 crore, he said.

The Cabinet gave its nod to launch a scheme to provide employment to one lakh youth in the agricultural sector. The Chief Minister said the scheme was originally conceived in 1991 by the then United Democratic Front Government. It, however, could not be implemented properly for various reasons.

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