British Cabinet Minister for Communities and Local Government Eric Pickles will lead a UK business delegation to Kochi for two days from Tuesday. The UK delegation will explore partnerships in infrastructure, construction and water sectors. The British minister will meet Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and senior representatives from the state government and will deliver a speech at a business seminar hosted by the Indian Green Building Congress (ICGBC) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) to encourage stronger Indo-UK partnership in the infrastructure sector.
“As an advocate of localism, I am delighted to be visiting Kerala, which is globally renowned as a pioneer in successful local self-government. I look forward to sharing the UK experience of local government and to learn about the successes of Kerala. The business delegation accompanying me has a wealth of expertise to offer for Kerala’s ambition to expand and strengthen local infrastructure. I hope the UK and Indian firms can work in partnership with Kerala and the private sector on many major ongoing and proposed projects,” Pickles said in a statement released prior to his visit.