Search the Internet          Tips  Sites: Finance, Investment

Technology Park proposed for Kerala

Sanu George in Thiruvananthapuram

A proposal to set up an $80 million export oriented technology park with the backing of companies from Taiwan, South Korea and Hong Kong has been submitted to the Kerala government.

Kerala Tourism Minister K V Thomas after detailed talks with the promoters led by NRI businessman K K Moni that he had handed over the proposal to the tourism secretary for further action.

"They were here last month and we had detailed discussions. They have opened an office here to see that the project becomes a reality," he said.

Thomas said the promoters' aim was to create an environment for technology based industries. It would assist the development of knowledge intensive industries.

It is expected to come up on a 330-acre plot at Kuttikanam near Peerumade, about 100 km from Kottayam.

The lead organiser in the mega project is A S Mart Technology Corporation of Taiwan. Among those who have already confirmed participation are Hyosung Corporation of South Korea, who are manufacturers of computer peripherals and banking networking products, A S Mart Technologies Taiwan, manufacturers of IT products, and Vega Technologies Hong Kong, producers of multimedia products and digital cameras.

"The info-city would come up in 230 acres while the remaining land would be earmarked for a holiday resort," said Thomas.

S Madhusudhanan, marketing manager of the proposed Info-city, said the deal for buying the land was being finalised.

"We are committed to see that the project gets started off at the earliest," he said. "It would be developed by an international consortium, fully backed by the experience and resource of the Indian promoters.

According to the proposal, the Info-city would be formed as an export oriented industrial park and would be an enclave where special facilities like customs duty and income tax exemption are offered to the units that would be leased or sold out.

The industries targeted to come at the site are electronic hardware, software, telecommunication biotechnology and professional consultancy. Special care would be taken to keep out industries that emit effluents and wastes.

Thomas said the park would provide direct employment to about 4,000 technically qualified people and 2,000 others, besides ensuring indirect employment to close to 50,000 people.

Indo-Asian News Service

Money
Business News

Tell us what you think of this report