THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will set up a comprehensive food park in Kerala.
The UAE has plans to set up a total of three such parks in the country. In a meeting in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade Thani Ahmed Al Zeyoudi has informed Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan his country’s decision to set up the food park in Kerala. The details of the park would be made available later after a discussion with the technical team.
Earlier, the CM had requested the UAE to set up a food park in Kerala when the Gulf country decided to set up three such parks in the country.
During Thursday’s meeting, the CM also drew the attention of the UAE minister to the LIFE Mission housing project funded by the UAE Red Crescent, a charitable organisation, which got dragged into a controversy after the gold smuggling through the diplomatic route was detected.
The UAE minister assured the CM that he would get in touch with the organisation and expedite steps to complete the project.
As per a memorandum of understanding signed, the UAE Red Crescent had agreed to construct 140 houses for landless and homeless families in Thrissur and hand over the apartments to the state government. It had then contracted the builder directly through officials attached to the UAE Consulate here.
The UAE delegation also invited the CM to attend Dubai Expo being held in the UAE and Pinarayi promised to attend the event by February.
Dr Ahmed Al Banna, UAE Ambassador to India, and Lulu Group chairman M A Yusuff Ali were present at the meeting. The UAE minister and UAE ambassador reached the capital in connection with the opening of Lulu Mall in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday.