The Hindu Business Line : Govt rules out private role in KMML

Thiruvananthapuram April 19 The Kerala Government has no plans to allow private sector participation in the state-owned Kerala Minerals and Metals Ltd (KMML), the leading manufacturer of rutile grade titanium dioxide in the country.

The Industry Minister, Mr Elamaram Kareem, said in a statement here on Friday that KMML would not enter into any joint venture or similar arrangements with the private sector.

He termed as baseless the allegations that KMML was going in for a joint venture with the Tatas. On the other hand, the Government intended to take up production of titanium metal and start allied industries even while retaining the mining of mineral sands in the public sector, the Minister said.

RUSSIAN TIE-UP

He pointed out that the country, as of now, did not have the technology for production of titanium metal. It was in this context that the Government had discussions with the Russian Government that possessed the requisite technology.

The Minister said the discussions he had with the Russian Ambassador in New Delhi recently were related to cooperation between the two countries in respect of the technology for production of titanium metal. Any proposal for a joint venture or other tie-ups involving KMML did not figure in the discussions.

He said that there were reports about sourcing of titanium dioxide from KMML for establishing a titanium industry in Orissa in cooperation with the Russian Government. But, neither the State Government nor KMML has any information on this. Also, the Government did not intend to be part of any such venture, the Minister said.

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