North Kerala is all set to witness a quantum leap in economic activites with the government proposing to have second special economic zone and has drawn up an ambitious project for setting up an Information Techonology park in the sleepy hamlet of Cheemeni in the neighbouring Kasaragod district.

The government has acquired 100 acres from Kerala State Cashew Plantation Corporation and chalked out strategies for setting up an exclusive IT hub in the earmarked land and expects to lure an investment to the tune of Rs 1,000 crore (Rs 10 billion), State Information Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar told PTI.

After setting up its first SEZ in Kochi, the government has chosen Cheemeni as part of its move in giving thrust on low cost destination to acquire cheaper land and utilise the immense human resources in the relatively backward area of the state, Ajay Kumar said.

Blessed with abundant potable water, the government plans to spread industrial activities in about 500 acre land in the second phase of the project and is expected to trnsform the region as major IT hub, he said.

"We are expecting the final clearance from the Centre shortly as the IT units in the proposed SEZ would not lead to environmental degradations," he said.

Stating that the proposal for setting up the SEZ is being processed by the Union Environment and Commerce Ministries, he said a special officer would be appointed soon for the joint venture, for which leading industrial groups have expressed readiness to invest in.

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