THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Eyeing the opportunities arising from the Vizhinjam port, the Kattakkada assembly constituency in Thiruvananthapuram is gearing up to become an investment-friendly destination. Attracting investments from different parts of the country and abroad, and handholding prospective local entrepreneurs are the key components of ‘Vision Kattakada’, an ambitious development plan being prepared by a team led by legislator I B Satheesh.
The Kattal Industrial Development Council (KIDC), chaired by the MLA, is the key agency entrusted with the commercial development of the constituency.
The KIDC has already prepared a blueprint for local entrepreneurship development. A series of programmes, including a survey to identify prospective entrepreneurs and a professional conclave to identify potential sectors, was held as part of the project.
“The survey also covered existing enterprises and we found that many of them are in dire straits due to the pandemic-induced slowdown. The council is devising programmes to rejuvenate them by providing financial and marketing support. The KIDC also plans to introduce skill development programmes in association with government agencies,” Satheesh told TNIE.
The MLA said the Vizhinjam port project and the allied Outer Ring Road (ORR) open up a plethora of opportunities for Kattakkada. The ORR is a proposed 62.20km-long six-lane access-controlled national highway that will connect National Highway 66 at Navaikulam with the Vizhinjam port. The road will pass through five of the six panchayats in Kattakada, except Vilavoorkal.
Connectivity with the ORR would be the trump card for Kattakada to attract outside investments, said Satheesh. “The KIDC has identified 150 acres of land where the investors can set up enterprises. We promise them uninterrupted power and water supply. A meeting with the trade unions is also on the cards to ensure a hassle-free environment for investors,” he said.
The KIDC has scheduled an investor meet titled ‘Investor Summit 2K23’ on May 5. “It will showcase the investment avenues in the constituency like IT, tourism, trade and industry. The campaign activities in connection with the summit are on and we have already received enquiries. One of them is a Saudi Arabian investor interested in setting up a plant to develop protein from poultry waste. This has boosted our confidence,” the MLA said.