KOCHI, 24 February 2007 — The International Navigation Association-Permanent International Association for Navigation Congress (INA-PIANC) will hold its annual general meeting here from April 16 to 19. “Kochi has been chosen as the venue for the general assembly because of its strategic position in the maritime world. The destination is most suitable for the PIANC annual general assembly. Kochi, the Queen of the Arabian Sea, has been a popular destination for travelers and traders from far and near for centuries,” the INA-PIANK said in a statement.
State Not Against Economic Zones
Industries Minister Elamaram Kareem has said that the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government is not against the establishment of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in the state. “The government is not against granting SEZ status to commercial areas if that can help entrepreneurs get facilities and concessions,” he told a seminar in Thiruvananthapuram. “There is a misconception that state labor laws were not enforced in SEZs. The fact is that the mechanism to implement labor laws in SEZs is different and that is to avoid bureaucratic hassles,” he said. In 2003, India announced the establishment of SEZs for investors who want tax free investments and 100 percent repatriation of capital.
Satellite Training
The state’s Education Department has launched a comprehensive training program concerning higher education. The two-phase training program for the common entrance test prepared by the State Institute for Educational Technology (SIET) will be aired as part of the Vazhikatti program. The first phase that began on Feb. 22 will continue to be broadcast till March 10 and the second phase will be broadcast from March 31 to April 20. In the first phase, the program on the medical entrance examination will be broadcast from 8.45 a.m. to 9.45 a.m. and the program on the engineering entrance examination from 4.15 p.m. to 5.15 p.m. In the second phase, the program on the medical entrance examination will be aired from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the program concerning the engineering entrance test from 1.30 p.m. to 5.30 p.m.
Kannur Airport Modeled on CIAL
The federal government has in principle approved a plan to develop the Kannur airport on the lines of Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL), according to Aviation Minister Praful Patel. The state government’s stake is limited to 26 percent while the rest has been offered to the public and financial institutions.
Patel said the Air-India Express will start its operation from Hyderabad later this year connecting the Gulf region. The minister also offered federal assistance to the Kerala government to promote tourism. “The government is committed to providing better connectivity and infrastructure,” he said. Kerala is already well connected to West Asia and the government wants connectivity to more destinations including in Europe. “This was a good year for civil aviation and there are still big opportunities. Domestic growth has been around 50 percent this year, while the international sector grew by about 25 percent,” he said.
Annual Plan Proposal Approved
India’s Planning Commission has approved the Rs. 69.5-billion annual plan proposals for Kerala for the fiscal year beginning April 1. After a meeting with Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahuluwalia said the proposals would boost growth in the first year of the 11th Five-Year Plan. “We have asked the state government to officially inform us how to execute federally-sponsored projects,” he said.
