Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) has decided to give Rs. 5,200 crore to National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) as the state's share for land acquisition for National Highway development. Besides, the board also approved 36 projects worth Rs. 1744 crore including an overbridge at Kannur South, for Vattiyoorkavu development and for expansion work of five taluk hospitals.
In a press conference after a general body meeting and executive committee meeting held here, Finance Minister Dr. Thomas Isaac said that the amount for NHAI is being appropriated from the KIIFB fund allocated for land acquisition for development projects.
The fund will not be handed over in a one-time transfer; instead it will be transferred once the decision regarding land acquisition is made. With this, all concerns regarding land acquisition for NH development gets settled. Taluk hospitals at Kundara, Mavelikkara, Payyannur, Vaikom and Chittoor will be developed.
Kollam indoor stadium and mini stadium at Pattambi will also get expansion.
Hitherto, KIIFB has approved 588 projects worth Rs. 45, 380.37 crore. 315 projects worth Rs. 10,600 crore have been tendered. 228 projects worth Rs. 7031 crore have started. However, pace of construction of the projects is not at par with that of the approval, the minister said.
KIIFB is the best model to recover from the economic slowdown felt in the state. Projects worth Rs. 30,000 crore will be executed. Next year will see execution of projects worth Rs. 50,000 crore, the minister said.