THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The two-day Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) executive committee meeting that concluded here on Tuesday, sanctioned Rs 1,745.496 crore for 36 infrastructure development works. The sanctioned projects include ten over-bridges, one flyover and development works at five government hospitals.
The meeting also decided to grant Rs 5,200 crore for land acquisition for the NH-66 widening. This would be met from the funds already sanctioned by the board for land acquisition. The sanctioned amount forms 25 per cent of the total amount required for land acquisition for NH-66. With the latest sanctions, KIIFB has sanctioned a total of Rs 45,380.37 crore for 588 projects. Of this Rs 14,275.17 was for land acquisition for different projects.
Finance minister Thomas Isaac said that the government and KIIFB had devised several measures to speed up works funded by the board. This includes recruitment of 200 engineers in Public Works Department (PWD) and a technical support centre for implementing agencies. The minister said that KIIFB was giving a big stimulus to the flood-affected state.
Flood cess
The government will not halt or repeal the flood cess in the wake of the second floods, said the Finance minister. “Before the state could overcome the losses from the first flood, we were affected by the second. This will deepen the economic slowdown. The government’s revenue will decrease and expenses will increase. Hence, there is no question of stopping the cess,” he said.