The Hindu : Business : KSIDC completes 78 projects

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Dec 10, 2005

Business

Business

KSIDC completes 78 projects

Staff Reporter

It launched the Kerala Venture Capital Fund during 2001-02

KOCHI: Kerala is becoming an industrially competitive State and the investment climate has been most favourable to investors, according to the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC). Since the inception of the UDF Ministry in 2001, the KSIDC has completed 78 projects with an investment of Rs.339 crores which provide employment to more than 4,760 people, officials of the Corporation said.

The KSIDC launched the Kerala Venture Capital Fund during 2001-02 in association with the SIDBI and the KFC to assist hi-tech and biotech industries. The KVCF has so far funded seven IT ventures to the tune of Rs.5 crores. Under the industrial infrastructure upgradation scheme, two projects are being promoted. One is the Care Keralam, a unique initiative where a cluster of leading Ayurveda manufacturers have been formed and steps are on to bring about standardisation of process and products. The other is the TSDF (Treatment, Storage and disposal Facility) project for effective waste disposal in Kochi.

The mega investments being facilitated by the KSIDC include the Rs.7,000- crore port-based special economic zone projects, the Rs.2500-crore LNG terminal, Rs.7,000-crore petrochemical complex, Rs.7,000-crore NTPC expansion and Rs.450-crore City Gas distribution project.

Investments have been made in the infrastructure sector, especially industrial parks. Investments in the KINFRA parks for 2001-05 include private investments worth Rs.66 crores, foreign investment to the tune of Rs.3.50 crores, private investment along with KINFRA amounting to Rs.114.5 crores and KINFRA investments totalling Rs.150.35 crores.

KINFRA has 17 industrial parks in various sectors wherein plots have been allotted to 216 units. Of these, there are 150 operating units with an annual turnover of about Rs.1,000 crores, creating an employment of 5,000, officials said.

KINFRA has obtained SEZ status for three of their parks namely the Food park at Kakkancherry, Hi-tech park at Kalamasserry and gaming and animation zone within the film and video park in Thiruvananthapuram. The animation SEZ is the first of its kind in India and will provide job opportunities to 5,000 artists and IT professionals. An animation school too has been established along with the SEZ. The hi-tech park in Kochi has been set up in an area of 240 acres which includes the biotech park in an area of 50 acres and an international convention and trade centre in 40 acres.

In the textile sector, KINFRA has set up the International Apparel park in Thiruvananthapuram which attracted major groups, employing over 1,000 workers. In another three months, six more units will be commissioned giving employment to 2,000 people.

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