Kerala for Hi-tech industrial parks

Thiruvananthapuram, June 23 (UNI) The Kerala government, which aims at exploring new areas of investment for rapid industrialisation of the state, has earmarked Rs 20 crore for floating a new company on the model of the Cochin International Airport to provide world class and state-of-the-art infrastructure.

Presenting the revised budget for 2006-2007 in the Assembly today, Finance Minister T M Thoma Isaac said the company would be set up in a hi-tech corridor with small and large hi-tech industrial parks.

The company would be entrusted the job of wooing non-resident Keralities and developing infrastructure at the parks.

Noting that the Technopark in Thiruvananthapuram and other parks were doing good business, Dr Isaac said the government would provide Rs 20 crore for acquiring land and for infrastructure development for the proposed Technocity in Thiruvananthapuram.

He said the Government also proposed to set up a large food processing park in Wayanad district and an Industrial Township Authority in Palakkad.

Pointing out that tourism was another area for rapid growth, he said Rs 77.57 crore had been alloted for this sector, which included health, adventure, plantation and eco-tourism. He added that more finance would be provided for imparting training in this sector.

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