KOCHI: The much-delayed Amballoor Electronics and Hardware Park in Ernakulam district which was put on back burner for long has got an impetus with the state government allocating Rs 42 crore for acquiring land for the project. The Revenue department and Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) will soon initiate measures for acquiring land, said Anoop Jacob, MLA. Initially, 100 acres of land will be taken over.
“We have completed all procedures for land acquisition. Plots of 63 owners who have given the consent earlier will be taken over in a month. Land from 100 owners have to be acquired for the project. Government has given 90 days for completing acquisition,” said top sources with KSIDC.
Ever since its conception, land acquisition has been a hurdle for the project. Legal problems in acquisition have dragged the project for more than four years. Now, efforts of the MLA, who raised the issue in the Assembly in March last year seeking immediate government intervention, has given a fillip to the project.
He has also submitted letters to ministers of Industry and Finance seeking measures to expedite project implementation.
The government during 2015-16 fiscal had allocated Rs 13 crore for land acquisition with earlier tax exemption to the KSIDC for acquiring plots. Using the funds, few plots were taken over while several landlords had given consent for surrendering land. The land is spread over the villages of Amballoor, Mulanthuruthy and Manakkunnam.
Initially, landowners were reluctant to surrender plots for the price fixed by the government which was later revised by the district level purchase committee. With the implementation of Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act (LRRA) land owners will now get better compensation for their property.
The park will have original equipment manufacturers, contract manufacturers, semiconductor manufacturers, design development and research and development units. Big electronic companies and small scale entrepreneurs will be operating in the park
