Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Nod for Trade Fair Authority

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government will set up a Trade Fair Authority to convert Kerala into an international shopping destination and to link tourism industry with the State’s traditional production centres.

Minister for Finance T.M. Thomas Isaac said Rs.20 crore had been provided additionally for this and the Grand Kerala Trade Fair will continue in 2008-09.

Dr. Isaac said the trade fair would be linked to tourism and wide publicity would be given in foreign countries. In 2008-2009, the trade fair fund would be used to protect and expand commercial centres like Sweet Meat Street, Fort Kochi, Chalai market and Ernakulam Broadway, and for providing trade fair infrastructure in industrial centres like Kannur (handloom), Alappuzha (coir) and Munnar (bronze).

The total Plan outlay for tourism has been increased from Rs.83 crore to Rs.98 crore.

A sum of Rs.15 crore has been set apart for tourism marketing. Coastal tourism will get special emphasis.

Dr. Issac has allocated Rs.9 crore to the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) and Rs.2 crore for Bekal Resorts Development Corporation.

The guest houses at Kannur, Sulthan Bathery and Munnar will be renovated on the lines of Ernakulam Guest House at a cost of Rs.2 crore.

A centre for protection of elephants on lines of the elephant orphanage at Pinnawala in Sri Lanka will be set up in association with the Forest Department at a cost of Rs.50 lakh. Dr. Issac said elephant calves straying away from wild herds shall be looked after and old-aged tamed elephants will be rehabilitated at the centre.

A palace at Kodungaloor Kovilakom will be renovated and conserved as a memorial to Kunjikutty Thampuratty. The Paliyam Palace will be renovated. Steps to take over the birth home of Abdurahiman Sahib at Eriyad will be completed this year.

A rubber check dam will be constructed across Pampa river at Rs.10 lakh for organising Aranmula boat race. A sum of Rs.50 lakh has been sanctioned to Vayalar panchayat to establish Vayalar Martyrdom Square and Vayalar Swaramandapam.

A feasibility study on Canoly Canal and the coastal areas in Kozhikode will be carried out at a cost of Rs.25 lakh. The Kuthuparambu Town Square will be developed at a cost of Rs.25 lakh and Thrissur Sakthan Square at a cost of Rs.50 lakh.

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