The Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Kinfra), the nodal agency for the development of industrial infrastructure in the State, could create a record 20,900 jobs and attract private investments to the tune of ₹1,522 crore in the current financial year (till January).
The growth, including investment and employment generation, during the current financial year was proportional to the achievements made in the last five years, said Industries Minister P. Rajeeve here on Tuesday.
According to him, during the last five years, the land allotments made by Kinfra stood at 527.21 acres, while it was 128.82 acres in 2021-22 (till January 2022) alone. Similarly, it could create 540 industrial units, 17,228 jobs, and an investment of ₹1,731.53 crore during the past five-year period, while it was 62 units, 20,888 jobs, and investment of ₹1,522.1 crore in 2021-22.
Land acquisition
Meanwhile, there is significant progress in the land acquisition for the Kochi-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor.
Kinfra, entrusted with the responsibility of implementing the special scheme of the Centre in the State, has planned the work on acquisition of 2,240 acres in two nodes. Of this, 87% will be acquired by May.
An investment of ₹10,000 crore is expected in the Palakkad node, creating 22,000 direct and 80,000 indirect jobs. Similarly, an investment of ₹3,000 crore is expected through the Gift City-Ernakulam node, which is expected to generate 10,000 direct and 20,000 indirect jobs. It would be possible to add ₹600 crore to the State exchequer every year by way of this industrial corridor, said Mr. Rajeeve.
While listing the giant strides made by Kinfra, Mr. Rajeeve said the Centre’s Industrial Park Rating System, aimed at enhancement of infrastructure of industrial parks in the country, has rated as many as five Kinfra parks the best in the South. These include the Kinfra High Tech Park, Kochi; Kinfra Mega Food Park, Palakkad; Kinfra Film & Video Park, Kazhakuttam; Kinfra Small Industries Park, Mazhuvannur; and the Kinfra Integrated Industrial Park, Kanjikode.
Industrial growth
As Kinfra is set to enter its 30th year of operation in the next fiscal, the government agency is more focussed to push the industrial growth of Kerala.
It would spend around ₹300 crore for developing the basic infrastructure in the proposed Petrochemical Park on 481 acres at Ambalamugal, Kochi. The project expects a total investment to the tune of ₹1,200 crore.
Further, the agency is hopeful of completing the work on the Electronic Manufacturing-Cluster, Kakkanad, International Exhibition and Convention Centre, Kakkanad, Kinfra Small Industries Park, Mattannur, and Integrated Rice Technology Parks in Palakkad and Alappuzha in 2023, said Mr. Rajeeve.
