The Kerala government is seeking investment participation from Non-Resident Keralites (NRKs) for three of its ‘grand’ projects — Kochi Metro, Kannur International Airport and Start-up Village at Kalamassery.
A session on investment opportunities in the infrastructure at the Global NRK Meet 2015 here on Saturday saw the chief executive officers of the three projects making presentations to NRKs, who gathered here for the two-day meet that began on Friday.
Health Minister V.S. Sivakumar and Minister for Public Works V.K. Ebrahim Kunju told the session that Kerala government expected support from NRKs for the overall development of the State, said a press release issued by the organisers of the meet.
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Managing Director of Kochi Metro Rail Limited Elias George said the metro authority was not trying to create just one transport operation but an integrated, seamless system and that the metro authority wanted NRKs to invest in two townships — Muttom and Kakkanadu. The Kakkanadu project, on 18 acres, will require Rs.18-crore investments.
The Muttom project on 215 acres will need investments to the tune of Rs. 230 crore.
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He said that Kochi required an anchor investor and that KMRL was helping “imagining” Kochi as an investment destination by developing a seamless public transport system, the press release said.
Managing Director of Kannur International Airport G. Chandramouli and Chairman of Start-up Village Sanjay Vijayakumar were among those who made detailed presentation on their projects at the session.
The Kannur airport, with a capital investment of nearly Rs.1,900 crore, had attracted substantial investments and two per cent of the equity subscription opened to the public remained, said Mr. Chandramouli.
Mr. Vijayakumar said that over the past three years, the Start-up Village had helped 900 new ventures in the field and made a presentation on the different investment opportunities for NRKs at the village.