U.V. Jose, a civil engineer and regional planner by training, who will take over as the District Collector of Kozhikode next week, is confident about realising a suitable town plan that will redefine the city’s development prospects.
“For me, achieving a balanced growth that will cover concerns in the social sector and issues of infrastructure development is definitely a target. We need a slew of new and specific projects that will help us reach this target,” Mr. Jose told The Hindu on Thursday.
His experience in the Tourism Department will come in handy while promoting Kozhikode’s tourism potentials. “I am aware of the proposed city master plan and the need to implement it with utmost priority,” he added.
Mr. Jose, who had launched an effective waste management initiative when he was the Collector of Kottayam, said he would use the experience to address the waste management crisis in Kozhikode. “Waste management and traffic problems will be given due attention as these matter a great deal to a fast developing city,” he added.
Mr. Jose worked as a project assistant with the Kozhikode-based Centre for Water Resources Development and Management in 1984 before joining the Town Planning Department in Wayanad. He was elevated to the IAS cadre while he was director of the Kerala State Urban Development Project in 2015.
