Newsletter from Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation 3 Kannur airport, Vizhinjam ICTT go ahead
4 Interview: We must change: T Balakrishnan
Vol.1 Issue 2 June 2010
6 TELK returns to its glorious past
Fuelling Kerala
The 2.5 mmtpa LNG terminal in Kochi, India’s second, will ensure cheap and abundant supply of fuel and will herald an industrial revolution in Kerala.
Work in full swing at the LNG terminal project site
H
ydropower fuelled Kerala’s industrialisation in the last century. Natural gas will play that role now. The 2.5 mmtpa LNG regasification terminal, being set up at Puthuvypeen, Kochi, is set to grant Kerala a unique position in terms of industrial infrastructure. It will offer a cheaper and cleaner fuel for industries, mainly in the manufacturing sector, fuel a number of power projects and form the basis of projects such as the city gas distribution project and the Kochi-Coimbatore industrial corridor. The terminal with facilities for re-
ceiving, storing and regasifying LNG is scheduled to be commissioned in 2012. The Rs 4000 crore project of Petronet LNG Limited is being completed in partnership with Government-owned energy companies BPCL, GAIL, IOC and ONGC and GDF International, a subsidiary of French gas company Gaz De France. PLL has already signed a Sale Purchase Agreement with Exxon Mobil for supply of 1.5 mmtpa LNG from Gorgon LNG Project, Australia, over a 20 year term. The terminal capacity can be expanded up to 5 mmtpa depending on LNG supplies and market conditions.
Together with its downstream projects, the terminal is expected to involve an investment of Rs 16,000 crore, making it the largest industrial investment in Kerala. INDUSTRIAL FUEL One of the key downstream projects of the LNG terminal is the gas pipeline which will carry LNG to Mangalore and Bangalore. The Rs 4000-crore project, being taken up by GAIL Ltd, will be a source of LNG supply to industries enroute. (The route map of the gas pipelines is on page 8). It will have two additional routes connecting to the Contd. on page 8
Work on Kannur airport to start on october 1 The work on the Rs 1,000-crore greenfield international airport project at Kannur would begin on November 1, the State formation day. The airport would be constructed on a public-private participation (PPP) model, Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan said, inaugurating a meeting of prospective investors in the project. The Chief Minister said the government has already acquired 916 acres of land for the project and another 368 acres would be acquired before July 15. He said 51 per cent of the shares would be in the public sector with the government holding 26 per cent stake and public sector 23 per cent. Government-controlled institutions will have two per cent stake. Home and Tourism Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said preliminary work had already started on developing infrastructural facilities in the area. The PWD had been asked to submit a report on the construction of a new greenfield road from Kannur to the airport. Roads would also be laid from the airport to Wayanad and Bakel. Industries Minister Elamaram Kareem said once completed, the airport is expected to be used by 15 lakh passengers annually. The airport would have a 12,000 feet runway, the longest in the State, he said.
Govt to take over sick private units
Kerala government, which has created a unique model on how to walk loss-making PSUs back to profitability, is planning to do it for private sector units as well. The State Cabinet has decided to take over Travancore Rayons, Perumbavoor; Aluminium Industries, Kundara; and the textile unit of Commonwealth Trust in Kozhikode, all sick private industrial units. The Cabinet has approved the ordinances for their takeover.
Easy loans for public sector The State government has decided to raise funds for the revival of the public sector units at a concessional 7 per cent. The funds would be raised partly by drawing from the surpluses of profit-making units and partly as loans from industrial development agencies such as KSIDC. Industries Minister Elamaram Kareem said the government chose this route as bank finances have become unavailable. The government had in this year’s budget announced creation of eight new public sector units at an investment of Rs 125 crore. It is for the first time that the State Government finds itself in a position to fund public sector units’ expansion by funds generated within the system, the Minister said. 2
Fresh bids for Vizhinjam ICTT
The Kerala government will invite fresh expressions of interest for the Vizhinjam International Sea Port proposed near Thiruvananthapuram by this month. Ports Minister M Vijayakumar said the government was planning to award the contract by the end of this year itself and the work was expected to commence in 2011. The project, the second ICTT in Kerala after Vallarpadam, is expected to create 5,000 direct and 100,000 indirect jobs on completion. The Minister said the government in this year’s budget had earmarked Rs 450 crore for infrastructure development for the project. The State had set up a separate company, Vizhinjam International Sea Port Limited, for implementing the project which would come up at the nearest spot from the international sea route between West Asia and the Far East. The land acquisition process for the road connectivity is now in the final stage.
Additional Chief Secretary (Industries) T Balakrishnan, Industries Minister Elamaram Kareem, KSIDC Managing Director Alkesh Sharma and KSIDC Executive Director M R Karmachandran at the seminar.
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Let’s debate: Minister
n a major initiative aimed at sharing the development perspective with the industry and the general public, KSIDC on May 24 organised an interactive seminar in Kozhikode. Addressing the seminar, Industries Minister Mr Elamaram Kareem called for constructive debates for realising the industrial potential of Kerala. The Minister underlined the need for creating proper industrial infrastructure to attract investment. “Roads are critical to the industrial development of the State,” the Minister said and cited the example of the several major projects coming up on the Calicut Bypass. Pointing out that all development
initiatives of the government are designed keeping in mind factors such as population density and the socio-cultural identity of the State, the Minister said, “the government has ensured that all proposals for SEZs from the State comply with our norms,” he said. The Minister regretted that the potential for creating around three lakh jobs had been lost in Kerala because of the controversies surrounding various proposals. “This is a serious issue which calls for wide-ranging debate by all those who are interested in the industrial development of the State,” he said. Mr Kareem pointed out that lack of job opportunities in the State had forced skilled and educated youth to
look for employment in other States as also outside the country. “People from Kerala have played a major role in the development of the Gulf countries. If the situation persisted for want of concerted efforts to ensure creation of enough employment opportunities through fast-track industrial development, the State would be left with only old people and young children 10 years down the line,” he cautioned. Additional Chief Secretary Mr T Balakrishan, IAS, who made a presentation, called for a pragmatic approach towards industrialisation. Pointing out that the Vallarpadam International Container Transshipment Terminal will be a major milestone in the State’s developmental history, he said it would help the State attract major investments. At the same time, he said, the State lost several mega projects for want of infrastructure. KSIDC Managing Director Alkesh Sharma, IAS, listed out the projects KSIDC has planned for the State. Painting a bright picture on the power scenario in the State, he said by 2020, the State would be able to offer power to any number of projects that would come to the State. The Minister released ‘Investor Guide’, prepared by KSIDC, at the function. Industry and public representatives, including the Mayor, Kozhikode, and senior government officials attended the programme.
From MD’s Desk
T
he LNG terminal at Kochi will mark a major shift in the industrial climate in the State. Kerala has relied mostly on hydel power to fuel its industry till now. The arrival of LNG will be a welcome break from this dependence and will ensure that industries continue to enjoy access to reliable, cheap and abundant supply of quality power. It is estimated that projects aimed at producing more than 4500
MW are planned across Kerala using gas from the project. Several mega industries such as FACT would move from costly furnace oil and naphtha to cheaper LNG to run their plants. The gas pipelines will ensure that the benefits are not limited to Kochi and Kerala; it will spread the message of industrialisation to the entire State and even beyond. This issue of UPDATE has dwelt in depth on the opportunities the project will offer. The ball is now in the court of the Industry and it should start planning in right earnest to make the most of this opportunity.
This issue has featured the success story TELK has scripted ever since its tie-up with NTPC. From a local manufacturer of transformers, today TELK has become a global player, capable of manufacturing very complex products in its segment. This proves the success of the government policy of synergizing State PSUs with the Central PSUs in similar fields. I am sure it will be a case study for all others and will encourage us to come out with more such stories later. I solicit your feedback to me at mdksidc@vsnl.net Alkesh Sharma 3
Interview: T. Balakrishnan, IAS
T
Change we should
hey could militate against conventional wisdom, but the opinions of T Balakrishnan, Additional Chief Secretary in charge of Industry and Commerce, are based on his keen observation of Kerala society over the decades. An IAS officer of the 1980 batch, Balakrishnan was at the helm of the Tourism department, first as director and later as Secretary, when Kerala Tourism became a global brand. “Every society must build its developmental goals around the inherent strengths of its people, and, as such, Kerala would do well by betting on commerce and services,� he told Enterprise and Economic Update in an interview. Excerpts: Kerala Tourism is a universally accepted success story today. Will Kerala be able to repeat the same success in the industrial sector? I am very confident about repeating the success we recorded in tourism in industry also. But there are certain differences between the two. In tourism, we started on a clean slate, but in industry, we carry lot of baggage. Tourism is a small segment of the economy but industry is large. At the same time, in tourism, we started from zero, but in industry, we have a good record. We have a strong public sector, a vibrant private sector and a sound basic and industrial infrastructure. We are building on what we have already created. How strong is the industrial infrastructure in the State? What is our plan for the future? We have already created some mega projects such as ICTT and LNG terminal. And we are working on futuris4
Every society must build its developmental goals around the inherent strengths of its people. I have worked in Kerala for long and my observation is that we prefer white collar jobs to hard labour. tic projects such as industrial corridor, high speed rail corridor, mega power
projects and gas distribution system. They have a long gestation period but we are confident about them. We have already proved that mega projects get done in Kerala. We have CIAL as a touchstone. We have seen the BEML facility in Palakkad and Kerala Soaps Limited in Kozhikode come up in record time. We are progressing step by step, and in the right direction, on the mega projects. How do investors respond to such initiatives? It has two aspects. One, what we see as an opportunity for entrepreneurs, and the other, what they see as an opportu-
There are certain issues. They will not vanish just because we ignore them. We have to address them. nity for themselves. In tourism, these two aspects perfectly matched, and we made rapid and substantial progress. In industry, it could take time. We are creating the basic as well as industrial infrastructure, and investors will continue to find opportunity here. They may not match initially. They could even progress in parallel. But it will be happening. Bureaucracy has often been accused of putting hurdles in the entrepreneurial path, and the Single Window Clearance System was an attempt to overcome it. How successful has it been? It is a great success. We have cleared all projects except two, which are under consideration. They are the Knowledge Park by Salarpuria Properties and the Hitec city by Shobha Developers, both in Kochi. Some people have raised certain objections to them, citing laws. However, we have pointed out that the projects should be given clearances under the provisions of existing laws only. There are certain issues. They will not vanish just because we ignore them. We have to address them. We are very optimistic that we can do it. These projects would be the touchstone of our success in implementing Single Window Clearance system. How is the investor perception about labour relations in Kerala? It is not at all an issue now. Central government statistics show that we are among the best five States in terms of cordial industrial relations. We are among the last five in terms of man power loss due to labour unrest. What is your assessment about the growth areas of Kerala’s economy? My personal opinion is that the services sector will do well in Kerala. Industry will come second and agriculture will come after that. Every society must build its developmental goals around the inherent strengths of its people. I have worked in Kerala for long and my observa-
tion is that we prefer white collar job to hard labour. We prefer to use our brains more than our muscles. My understanding is that we will do well in services sector. If we assess our economic successes in the past, we will find that most of them are in the services sector. Commerce is another area about which I have great hope. If you assess the Kerala economy to know which sector comes first in recording growth, creating jobs, attracting investment and giving tax revenue to the government, you will zero in on the commerce and trading sectors. This is not my invention: this is there for everyone to see. But we have long neglected this aspect. We did not bother to harness this power. Do you know that I am the first Commerce Secretary in Kerala. My designation is Additional Chief Secretary in charge of Industry and Commerce. But I would prefer it to be ‘Commerce and Industry’. I think my successors would like it that way, given the growth of the sector. Shri Elamaram Kareem is the first Industries Minister to acknowledge that he is also in charge of Commerce. The Grand Kerala Shopping Festival was planned to give a big boost to the trading sector. What has been the result? How is it going to grow from here? GKSF has been a tremendous success and we are going to strengthen it. A senior official is appointed to head it. I am sure the coming editions will also be successful. How do you find the future of traditional industry in Kerala? We have implemented a lot of schemes for the development of the traditional sector. We have launched schemes such as the promotion of handicrafts through souvenirs. But the scope is limited, and you have to accept the reality. The generation next of the employees in the industry does not want to take to their fathers’ profession. I come from a farm-
ing background but my family did not want me to take to farming. So they educated me. My choice for my children would not be different unless they choose so. This is the same with every worker in the traditional sector. There is a huge dearth of human resource in such industries and we have limits to promoting them. How do you assess the scope of the small-scale sector in Kerala? We can bet big on the small-scale sector. Entrepreneurs in the smallscale sector have the push, willingness for hardwork and the mindset to take risk. Such units are fast and nimble, and they respond to market realities fast. When organisations grow, they tend to lose this nimbleness. The rate of failure in the small sector may be high. As much as 70 per cent of them could fail, but the rest 30 per cent will be sufficient to maintain our industry and economy. What does the government do to encourage young entrepreneurs? Our colleges produce thousands of engineers and others every year who would like to start off as entrepreneurs. We had a venture capital fund in the past which did not perform the way we wanted it to. We are now setting up a new one with a corpus of Rs 100 crore. KSIDC is taking the lead in setting up this venture capital fund. However, I have a different idea about funding new ideas. As much as 98 per cent of the young people coming out of colleges land in a job. We would let them go. They have worked hard to do so and let them enjoy. Let them work and gain some experience, and then explore their entrepreneurial interests. And for the rest two per cent, they are born entrepreneurs. They will succeed in any circumstances. They will find a way to sell sand in Sahara desert. They would not need our help. Society’s mindset towards entrepreneurship is skewed. It finds failure unacceptable. But I feel otherwise. I would bet on the guy who has failed three times if he comes for the fourth time, than the first-timer. I am sure that the chances of success of a person, who has already tasted failure, are much higher than a greenhorn.
5
Tech coup
The history of TELK, Kerala’s first PSU in heavy engineering, looked like a graph of fluctuating power. At times it peaks, and at other times, it collapses. However, after it adopted NTPC as a JV partner following a government decision, it has shown a steady growth. The company and its CEO, S Venkadeeswaran, bagged the State government award for the best PSU and CEO, respectively, last year. It has drawn up ambitious expansion plans, too. How did Telk come back from the brink? What led to its remarkable recovery and leap towards excellence? Update makes an enquiry.
W
hen TELK sent a 315MVA transformer for a short-circuit test in the Netherlands in December 2009, it created history. It was for the first time that an Indian EHV transformer manufacturer with indigenous technology attempted such an audacious move. Audacious for a company under BIFR, because it was fraught with risks of cost, and, more importantly, of failure (the success rate was only between 60 and 70 per cent). “Short-circuit testing of 315 MVA 400/220/33 KV transformer was a fabulous achievement,” says Managing Director S Venkadeeswaran. “It reconfirmed customer trust and re-energised us.” The management and workers would like to see it as a beginning to the return to its glorious past. The company, ever since its inception, has had an impeccable reputation for its products which customers valued, even bypassing offers from MNCs. It also held 6
pride of place among Kerala PSUs. However, midway through its existence, some plans, including those for diversification and expansion, went haywire. This, coupled with adverse market conditions, plunged the company into trouble. Arrears of receivables mounted, banks chose to ignore pleas for help and even working capital became a question mark. Many workers left in search of greener pastures, while the morale of the rest hit its lowest point. From being the first choice of fresh electrical engineering graduates to start their career with, it simply vanished from their radar. Production and productivity nosedived. And the company landed in BIFR. It was then that the State government decided to pursue a policy of reviving State PSUs by synergising them with Central PSUs in similar sectors. It identified National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) as JV partner and in 2007, signed an agreement with the Navartna company.
That was a landmark decision. “Even before the government granted shares to NTPC, it brought me from NTPC to head TELK, showing its seriousness,” said Venkadeeswaran. This created a positive environment within the organization while sending out an important message to the clients. The company had to fight a lot of odds. Locational disadvantages were one as it had to incur huge costs on transportation of raw material and finished goods. “We have little control over material costs which come to about 60-70 per cent of the total cost,” said Venkadeeswaran. “We have to make our money by being innovative in design, cutting costs of operation, reducing the cycle time, controlling inventory, and increasing productivity. In a nutshell, we had no option but to use our brains and survive. We just did it.” The company showed signs of revival under a new vision. Production, which in some years fell to levels less than half of the installed capacity of 4500 MVA, is back on track today. In 2008-09, it touched 5200 MVA. This financial year, it is scheduled to improve another 10 per cent. The company is now planning aggressively for the future. “We plan to increase the manufacturing capacity from the present 4500 MVA to 12,000 MVA, and take our turnover to Rs 500 crore,” he said. Manufacturing transformers with 765 MVA, which would be the norm for the new power grid, and identification of a technology partner for a major expansion and diversification top the agenda now. These measures are expected to take the turnover to Rs 1,000 crore in a not so distant future. The company which has a 4 per
cent market share today wants to take the figure to 15 per cent in five years. The tie-up with NTPC helped the company in many ways. Banks which once turned their back on TELK started looking at it favourably, some even came forward on their own with offers. The BIFR and banks approved TELK packages thanks mainly to the new, strong and reliable partner. “NTPC did not bring us technology as they deal in a different realm,” said the CEO. “The NTPC is a partner with whom we are proud of going to the market.” The company has charted out an IT plan, which would help it streamline its operations further. “We have developed a foolproof system in most departments. However, our efficiency will increase many-fold once we roll out our IT plan. We hope to commission the first phase in eight months from now”. TELK has travelled long from the dismal days of heavy attrition and has reversed the trend. Last year TELK appointed about 50 people, all graduate engineers and diploma holders. This year, it is planning to double the number of new recruits. Today, TELK is a confident PSU. “Our thrust was to put systems in place so that our achievements are sustainable.” With the power sector in India set to grow big, TELK wants to be a partner of choice for its players.
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A crown jewel
ncorporated in 1963, under an agreement with the Government of Kerala, KSIDC and Hitachi Limited, Japan, TELK is a full-fledged unit for designing and manufacturing Extra High Voltage Electrical equipment in India. It rolled out the first product in 1966 and has since established its own brand image for quality and reliability. Since 23 June 2009, TELK is a JV of Kerala government and NTPC. TELK has always attracted the best talent and became a breeding ground for future leaders in transformer industry. Former TELK employees now head the design centres of Indian operations of Areva, ABB, Siemens, GE and T&R. The key personnel at the Dubai Electricity Corporation also cut their teeth at TELK.
Interview: S Venkadeeswaran, MD
It’s teamwork
“M
y people know that I know something about transformers” is how TELK Managing Director S Venkadeeswaran would describe his role in the company which got him the best CEO award and the company the best PSU tag for the year 2008-09. Excerpts from an interview: What was your main target when you took over? I wanted to prove that TELK had intrinsic strength, that team work with shared vision can make it great, and that a ‘we-can-do-it’ approach can change the fate of the company in a short span of time.
How did you go about it? I asked each one of my teams questions about how they would improve their performance. Like when I asked the design head to show me the saving in the cycle time. I asked him to show me the margin after accounting for the exchange rate difference. Now he keeps an eye on the currency as well as commodity markets. He analyses the trends and sometimes even hedges his purchase. This was a new way of operation for him, and people like him. And it worked. I am sure we have succeeded in initiating a thought process among our people on the need to outperform ourselves so that we can compete and grow in the market. Now they are not satisfied to claim today’s salaries with yesterday’s production levels. What are the strengths that you have found in TELK? Impeccable product quality supported by a dedicated back-up of service personnel, technological capabilities and skilled people, and infrastructural facilities such as connectivity. And the weaknesses? We are competing with multinational giants and some of our inadequacies affect us very badly in the marketplace. They include absence of
Men at the shop floor have told me that they are more comfortable with diagrams than oral instructions! technological tie-up for upgradation of capacity, old plant and machinery which are inadequate to meet the production targets, lack of human resource etc. Being under BIFR is also a shackle. How did the government support you? The Industries Minister and the Ministry supported us whole-heartedly. That the government brought me from NTPC to head TELK even before the formal transfer of shares was effected showed its serious intent for the company. That move also convinced all our stakeholders about our future. The government was also considerate in helping us meet the welfare demands of the employees. How have been the labour relations in TELK? We have a very cordial relationship. Trade unions in TELK have been very supportive of our developmental plans. I must admit the unique calibre of our people. Men at the shop floor have told me that they are more comfortable with the diagrams than the oral instructions! Tell us one successful strategy you worked out here. I don’t pressurise my colleagues, I challenge them instead. I would suggest that they would not be able to complete a task in 30 days, but they complete it five days early. I have been more of a mentor than an administrator. So we have a shared vision. They continue to excel themselves. 7
The pipe route
From page 1 NTPC power station at Kayamkulam and Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore (FACT) units in Kochi. Several major industrial units such as FACT have signed agreements to purchase LNG for their use in various units. With the usage of RLNG in place of other fuels and feedstock, these companies will be in a position to cut the operating cost. This, together with easy access to the International Container Transshipment Terminal at Kochi, will make products more competitive in the international markets. POWER PROJECTS At present, most of Kerala’s power requirement is met through hydro-electric and coal-based power projects. However, the dependence on these sources will come down substantially once the power projects in the pipeline, using LNG, become operational. While some of them are greenfield projects, others would switch to LNG from costly fuels such as diesel and naphtha. At present, projects with a combined production capacity of 4726 MW using LNG are in the pipeline in Kerala. They will make the State power surplus, granting it a unique distinction among Indian States. Several agencies have already finalised plans for their new projects. They include: NTPC: The National Thermal Power Corporation will generate an additional 1050 MW power from its Kayamkulam plant using LNG, taking the total output to 1400 MW. The augmentation project is expected to be completed in 2013. KSEB: Kerala State Electricity Board is setting up a new 1026 MW power project at its Brahmapuram facil-
K
CITY GAS DISTRIBUTION PROJECT The GAIL Ltd and KSIDC have signed a memorandum of understanding to set up a joint venture company for gas distribution in Kochi. The JV, in which GAIL will hold 26 per cent and KSIDC 24 per cent, will distribute the rest of the equity to strategic partners. The feasibility report is being prepared and the project is expected to take off in 2012 in a phased manner. The project seeks to supply natural gas for domiciles, automobile compressed natural gas (CNG) stations and commercial customers as well as for small-scale industrial consumers in the region. Kochi-Coimbatore Industrial Corridor LNG from the Kochi terminal will fuel Kochi and Coimbatore industrial corridor, proposed by the government of Kerala. Kerala Finance Minister Dr T M Thomas Issac, in the budget speech for
Power to the North
SIDC is setting up a 2520 MW power project in Cheemeni in Kasaragod district. The project consists of a 1320 MW coal-fired plant and a 1200 MW gas based plant. The government has already allotted 2000 acres of land for the project, for which Tata Consulting Engineers (TCE) has prepared a Detailed Project Report. The Environment Impact Assessment Study, as per the guidelines of the Ministry of Environment and Forest, Gov8
ity. The Board at present operates a diesel-fired power plant at Brahmapuram. BSES: BSES plans to generate 200 MW additional power at its plant at Kalamasserry. It will also shift from naphtha to LNG as the fuel for its existing 165 MW station. KSIDC: KSIDC is planning to set up a 1200 MW green field power project at Cheemeni in Kasaragod district (please see box). Petronet LNG Limited: Petronet is setting up a 1200 MW power project at Puthuvypeen using LNG. Palakkad Steel Manufacturers Association: PSMA has mooted a plan to set up a 50 MW power plant using the gas pipeline.
ernment of India, is underway. According to project special officer Mr G Sasidharan, KSIDC and Kerala State Electricity Board will soon form a Special Purpose Vehicle for the project and will approach the Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission for permission to start the bidding process for selecting a developer. The project will meet its entire water requirement from sea, he said. The gas-based plant is expected to be commissioned in 2013.
The LNG Advantage With only one carbon and four hydrogen atoms per molecule, natural gas has the lowest carbon to hydrogen ratio, and hence it burns completely, making it the cleanest of fossil fuels. Natural Gas satisfies most of the requirements for fuel in a modern day industrial society, being efficient, non-polluting and relatively economical. Natural Gas comes in four basic forms: Liquified Natural Gas (LNG): Natural Gas which has been liquefied at -160oC to facilitate transportation in cryogenic tankers across sea. Regasified Liquefied Natural Gas (RLNG): Natural gas which has been regasified for use at customer’s end. Compressed Natural Gas (CNG): Natural Gas compressed to a pressure of 200-250 kg/cm2 used as fuel for transportation. Piped Natural Gas (PNG): Natural Gas distributed through a pipeline network that has safety valves to maintain the pressure assuring safe, uninterrupted supply to the domestic sector. the year 2010-2011, had announced the government’s plan to set up an industrial corridor. The government has already initiated talks with the government of Tamil Nadu on the project. On completion, the project will trigger all-round development of the Kochi-Coimbatore route. Kerala Industries Minister Elamaram Kareem is on record stating that the government will appoint an expert agency to take up a feasibility study on the project. It will connect the two largest industrial belts of Kerala: Kochi-Aluva and KanjikodePudussery-Walayar belts. The LNG regassification terminal is sure to mark the end of power shortage in Kerala and usher in a new era. An era of industrialisation and vibrant entrepreneurship.
For private circulation only. Prepared by Independent Media (+91 484 242331) for Alkesh Sharma, Managing Director, Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation Ltd, Keston Road, Kowdiar, Thiruvanathapuram-695 003. Executive Editor: K G Ajith Kumar. The opinions expressed in these columns need not necessarily reflect those of KSIDC.