Kochi needs a master plan, says Minister

Industries Minister P.K. Kunhalikutty has said that Kochi needs a master plan to accommodate expansion projects in the industrial and residential sectors.

Mr. Kunhalikutty was inaugurating the second phase of the ITES Habitat Centre of the Kerala State IT Mission at the Jawaharlal Nehru international stadium here on Friday. He said investors considered Kochi an ideal destination in Kerala. It is time that Kochi became a metropolitan city. The government is giving priority to skill management in education with a view to fostering entrepreneurship. Startup village in Kochi could provide a window to new ideas and fresh job opportunities.

Benny Behanan, Hibi Eden, MLAs, N. Venugopal, GCDA chairman, and others spoke.

The IT Mission set up ITES Habitat Centre in 2002 as a training and facilitation centre for IT/ITES sector where basic infrastructure facilities were available at a nominal cost. Of 25,000 sq ft space at the centre, over 14,000 sq. ft. space was developed by 2006 where cubicles ranging from 100 to 700 sq. ft. were allocated to small to medium companies.

The stage-2 facility consists of 23 independent cubicles of size ranging from 100 to 500 sq. ft. to accommodate small IT/ITES units.

ITES Habitat Centre is designed to operate in a self-sustainable way. At present, more than 300 people are employed by 50-odd enterprises. The commissioning of stage-II would enable employment of 150 people.

Unlike major IT parks which demand huge investment to start a business, a young entrepreneur with few employees can start a business paying a small amount as licensee fee per month at the Habitat Centre.