PATHANAMTHITTA: The Federation of Kerala Associations in North America (FOKANA) has proposed various development initiatives for central Kerala comprising the districts of Pathanamthitta, Kottayam and parts of Alappuzha, Kollam and Idukki.

Talking to The Hindu , the newly elected president of FOKANA, which is an umbrella organisation of various Malayali associations in North America and Canada, Sasidharan Nair, of Manackal in Melukara on the banks of the Pampa, near Kozhencherry, said Keralites in the U.S. and Canada were keen on investing in their home State, provided there was a conducive `climate' for the same.

Mr. Nair said he the organisation had proposed a Central Travancore Development Corporation (CTDC) to implement the proposed airport project. This was also included in his 10-point election manifesto for the polls to the FOKANA national council.

Mr. Sasidharan Nair said he, along with Aranmula MLA K.C. Rajagopal, had held talks in this regard with Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan and Minister for Home and Tourism Kodiyeri Balakrishnan. They had promised to extend Government support for the project, he added.

He said the proposed CTDC envisaged 20 per cent of its share with the State Government, with the Chief Minister as chairman. Like-minded Non-Resident Keralites' (NRK) organisations in West Asia, Europe and other parts of the globe should be permitted to become shareholders in the proposed FOKANA-State joint venture, he said.

"At present, there are two live proposals before us. One is to set up the airport on the 250-acre low-lying land in Aranmula with the CTDC headquarters and a flying club in the adjoining town of Thiruvalla. The second option is to set up the airport at Pamala, near Thiruvalla, with a flying club in Aranmula," Mr. Nair said.

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