Industries and Sports Minister E.P. Jayarajan has said that the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government headed by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will expand and strengthen the public sector units (PSUs) in the State even as steps will be taken to study issues facing the private sector.
Speaking at a meet-the-press programme at the Press Club here on Saturday, the Minister, in his first interaction with the media after he was sworn-in on May 25, said his Ministry would conduct detailed studies on the problems facing the industrial sector in the State to explore its potential and to strengthen it. The public sector Keltron industrial units were now in a bad shape as there were no efforts to enhance their production capacity.
“Workers’ interests are not the cause of devastation as they are politically literate in the State,” Mr. Jayarajan said adding that the government’s intervention in the industrial sector would ensure protection of their jobs.
The new government would also give special emphasis on traditional sectors such as handloom and Khadi which were facing serious crisis. The Khadi sector was now witnessing erosion of workers because of the low wages.
He said the government had plans to expand the Khadi sector. Fifty per cent of the handloom units in the private sector were closed, while those in the cooperative sector were experiencing crisis. The government would take steps to enhance popularity of the handloom products in the domestic and international markets, Mr. Jayarajan said.
Kannur airport
The new government would expedite steps for the completion of the Kannur international airport coming up near Mattannur, which falls in his constituency, the Minister said. The new airport with a 4,000-metre runway would be turned into a major aviation transit point, he said.
Terming the inauguration of the trial landing at the airport under construction by the previous United Democratic Front (UDF) government a farce, Mr. Jayarajan said the Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Kinfra) would be entrusted with the task of developing infrastructure facilities for the proposed IT parks envisaged near the airport project area.
Sports
The Minister said that Kerala would be developed into the sports capital of the country. The sports sector in the State was now stagnant, he said adding that many talented sports personalities were retreating from sports because of livelihood issues. More trainers would be appointed, he said adding that the government wanted to promote sports activities in educational institutions to prevent lifestyle diseases.
Mr. Jayarajan said the government would implement all the promises given in the LDF’s manifesto.
Government to give special emphasis on traditional sectors
Kinfra to develop facilities for proposed IT parks near airport
