THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : The government will fast-track development projects around airports and ports, Industries Minister P K Kunhalikutty has said.
The Minister was speaking to media-persons in New Delhi on Tuesday after discussions with India Infrastructure Finance Company (IIFC) Ltd Chairman Santosh Nair.
The Industries Minister said that Central assistance was necessary to fund both development projects surrounding industrial areas and also to acquire land for the purpose. The State Government plans to avail financial aid from IIFC Ltd, a Central Government undertaking, which has an authorised capital of Rs 5,500 crore and a paid up capital of Rs 3,300 crore, the Industries Minister said.
The government is also planning to set up a Defence Park under the aegis of Kinfra in Palakkad and has held discussions with IIFC in this regard, he said.
“The aim of the government is to make Kinfra and IIFC work together in infrastructure development projects,” the Industries Minister said. Industrial Development Zones will be set up in districts such as Kozhikode, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Kannur and Kollam, which have either ports or airports. Townships will also be built adjacent to these facilities, he said.
The Minister also informed that a mega food park will be set up in the state.
A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting between Kinfra MD G C Gopala Pillai and Union Food Processing Industries Secretary Siraj Hussain.