KOZHIKODE: What next? That is the question almost every Gulf returnee in Kerala keeps asking when he/she realises that even decades of toil in the desert was not enough to see off their liabilities. When a group of 2,000 people from Thikkodi in Kozhikode, all returned from various West Asian countries, put their heads together and pondered their future, they remembered the adage ‘unity is strength’ and decided they could do something concrete to tide over the worry.
Thus the Global Thikkodian Forum (GTF) was born. And their maiden venture, GTF Steel, a Rs 18-crore steel factory, will be up and running from Wednesday. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate it via video conferencing. Such a venture is the sort of news the CM would want to project to the outside world, especially after the Kitex decision to scrap projects worth Rs 3,500 crore in the state had dented its image. The building’s foundation stone was laid in 2018 by then industries minister E P Jayarajan and labour minister T P Ramakrishnan.
“There are ample opportunities in Kerala to make a living and only when you look around, you’ll be able to find it. We hope our venture brings hope to hundreds of Gulf returnees who are concerned about their future,” said GTF chairman Basheer Nadammal.
“Demand for steel is high in Kerala, but the state produces less than 10% of what is required. Our factory has the capacity to produce more than 3,000 tonnes of high-quality steel, matching the best available in the market,” he said.
GTF Steel boasts 204 shareholders. It plans to give jobs to 30 directly and more than 200 indirectly. “It’s a myth that Kerala is never a good place for investors and manufacturers. When we registered for our venture through the state’s single window system, we got a call from the district collector’s office in less than 24 hours. In less than two months, everything became ready,” said Basheer, who added that GTF aims to enter into the tourism sector next.