KOCHI: With the objective of effective utilization of the Budget allocation for various development projects proposed for Kochi and to ensure their timely completion, an 11-member people’s core committee has been constituted. The committee, to be chaired by V.K Prasad, director of EMS Study and Research Centre will have experts from various sectors and will act as a people’s pressure group to implement the proposed development projects. The first meeting of the committee will be held on Saturday and a time schedule for the implementation of projects will be charted out.
The decision to form the committee was taken during a one-day workshop Budget @ Ernakulam, allocation and implementation organised by the EMS Study and Research Centre here on Monday. Finance Minister T.M Thomas Issac, while inaugurating the programme, said that feasible project proposals were needed for Kochi’s development and funds would not be a hindrance.
“A detailed time schedule has to be prepared for the execution of development projects. Being the fastest growing city, the city needs massive investment in basic facilities like drinking water, sewage, power and transport. The ideal option to decongest the NH bypass is construction of an elevated highway from Edappally to Aroor. Funds will not be a problem for such projects,” said Mr. Issac.
The minister added that healthcare and education sectors were of utmost importance and the state government had been spending Rs 1,200 and 1,500 crore a year for health care for the people under various heads, including money from the Karunya scheme. “Cochin medical college should be developed as a premium super specialty hospital for which enough funds will be provided,” he added.
Experts, officials and other stakeholders from various sectors participated in the workshop during which recommendations and suggestions on the implementation of development projects were discussed and codified. Group level discussions were held on healthcare, infrastructure, agriculture, tourism, education, art and culture, social security, fisheries and sports. Kochi Metro Rail Limited MD Elias George, Infopark CEO Hrishikesh Nair, Startup Village CEO Sanjay Vijayakumar, MLAs S. Sarma, M. Swaraj, John Fernandez and other top officials and civic experts also attended.
