Kerala making efforts for economic growth : Kareem

New Delhi, Feb 2 (UNI) Kerala is making unprecedented efforts for overall economic growth of the state by industrial and commercial development with the support of the Union Government.

As part of this, state Industry Minister Elamaram Kareem, and a team of senior officials met Union Ministers, secretaries of various ministries and Heads of central public sector companies in the capial during the last three days.

Talking to newsmen today, Mr Kareem said his meeting with Defence Minister A K Antony was very "encouraging" as the later extended full support to the state government in reviving, expanding and modernising the state PSUs such as Keltrone, Kerala High Tech Industries (KELTEC) and Steel Industrial Forging Ltd (SIFL) which are already in the line of manufacturing and supply of equipment to defence forces.

Mr Kareem also proposed the idea of setting up a Defence Production Park, preferably in Palakkad.

The Defence Minister, according to Mr Kareem, welcomed the idea and said that it would fit with the overall procurement policy of his ministry of sourcing at least 30 per cent of the supplies locally.

Mr Kareem also talked about the abundant deposit of Ilmanite, the lead the state has taken in the production of Titanium dioxide.

Other projects about which the industry minister held talks with the Centre included a Wagon Bogy unit in Cherthala, tie-up by NTPC with TELK, Mega Food Park in Wayanad, projects to give assistance to artisans and setting up a southern gas grid and a Titainum park in the state.

UNI