The Hindu Business Line : Kerala: Rs 13,495-cr action plan for `Vision 2010'

The share of the State Government in the outlay will be 16 per cent, while the Centre will contribute six per cent. Investments from private sector and financial institutions will account for the balance amount.

The Governor, Mr R.L. Bhatia, addressing the State Assembly on Friday. - C. Ratheesh Kumar

Thiruvananthapuram , Feb. 3

THE Kerala Government has drawn up an action plan with an outlay of Rs 13,495 crore to implement the projects identified for its `Vision 2010' programme.

In his address to the State Assembly on the opening day of the Budget session, the Governor, Mr R.L. Bhatia, said that five task forces had identified the projects that would be implemented over the next five years. The `Vision 2010' programme takes off from the development agendas for the State presented by the President, Mr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, in the Assembly last year.

The Governor said that the Government had chalked out a plan to fully network the State by 2007. The State Information Infrastructure (SII), with three data centres in the major cities of Kozhikode, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram, has already become functional and is catering to the e-governance needs of various government institutions.

The development works on the Animation Zone at Kinfra Film and Video Park in Thiruvananthapuram are nearing completion. Besides, a Biotechnology Park is coming up in 50 acres of land at Kalamassery, Kochi, with financial assistance from the Department of Biotechnology of the Union Government.

These apart, the Union Ministry of Commerce has accorded sanction for development of three product-specific special economic zones - for animation and gaming industry at Kazhakkuttom, Thiruvananthapuram; for electronics at Kalamassery, Kochi; and for food processing at Kakkancherry, Malappuram.

The efforts put in by the Government at the global investors meet have started showing results. The State has created the much-needed "pro-investment climate" and it has resulted in investment proposals of about Rs 22,000 crore in various industrial and infrastructure projects.

The projects that had been initiated during the last year include LNG terminal, natural gas pipeline of GAIL (India) Ltd, petrochemical complex, Smart City, Techno City, ICTT at Vallarpadom and deepwater container trans-shipment terminal at Vizhinjam.

In order to provide single-window service to the farmers, agro service centres would be established at "Krishi Bhavans". Also, micro-finance and marketing assistance would be provided for crops such as pepper, ginger, turmeric, cardamom and coconut. Efforts are also on to provide insurance coverage for the major perennial crops of the State.

In the traditional industry sector, the Government, in association with Coir Board, is implementing a scheme for setting up self-help groups by providing them with training, motorised ratt, work-shed facility and working capital. In addition, the department is encouraging establishment of defibring mills in both cooperative and private sectors by providing 50 per cent subsidy on capital investment.

In the electricity sector, the Government is committed to supplying quality power at affordable cost to all people in the State by 2007. In the coming year, the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) proposes to add 150 MW to the grid by commissioning a slew of projects.

In the non-conventional energy area, KSEB and the Agency for Non-conventional Energy and Rural Technology (ANERT) have planned to establish a wind farm of four megawatt at Ramakkalmedu in Idukki district during 2006-07. The Government has also accorded top priority to reducing transmission and distribution losses by two per cent every year.

The Governor noted that the revenue deficit of KSEB, which was at Rs 1,007.43 crore in 2003-04, had been brought down to Rs 342.77 crore in 2004-05. In addition, the Government had taken a "path-breaking" decision to reduce tariff of all domestic and commercial VII A and VII B consumers by 20 paise per unit with effect from January 1, he said.