Page 124 - economic review

Industry and Labour96

Box No: 3.6
Mission on Employment Generation (MEGA) – An initiative by State Planning Board

In the Peoples’ Participation Programme conducted by the Hon’ble Chief Minister, many
unemployed people submitted their applications for self employment programmes. State
Planning Board constituted a Task Force on Comprehensive Plan for Self Employment for
formulating a Comprehensive Self Employment Programme for the state. Under this Task
Force eight Sub Committees representing various stakeholders were also constituted. The
Task Force came up with the following major recommendations.
• A coordinating Agency or Mission for Enterprise and Employment Generation
• Massive Skill and Capacity building in tune with market requirements
• Intensive technology infusion
• Access to affordable and timely finance
• Mentoring Support
• Business/Technology Business Incubators
• Accessing funds from the Central Budget
• Information Dissemination
• Simplification of regulatory approvals for establishing/ operating enterprises
• Setting up of a Section 8 company to implement this Programme

The above recommendations were approved by the Government and Mission (MEGA) to
implement recommendations is being structured.

C) Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (KINFRA)

3.24 Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (KINFRA) aims at accelerating the
industrial development of the State by providing infrastructure facilities to industries. The Industrial
Parks developed by KINFRA have facilities like developed land or built up space, dedicated power,
continuous water supply, communication facilities etc., in addition to supporting social infrastructure
facilities like administrative block, bank, post office, round the clock security etc., thus providing a
ready-made manufacturing environment for easy start up of industrial units with minimum time and
cost.

3.25 KINFRA has completed infrastructure development in 12 key industrial sectors with world –
class infrastructure in 19 Industrial Parks, of which 9 are catering exclusively to the Small & Medium
Enterprises Sector. Some of the notable achievements are the successful completion of India’s first
International Apparel Park at Trivandrum; India’s first Export Promotion Industrial Park at Ernakulam;
India’s first Infotainment Park, the Film & Video Park at Trivandrum and India’s first Food Processing
Industrial Park at Malappuram.

3.26 KINFRA has developed Joint Venture Projects like India’s first Rubber Park (a JVC with the
Rubber Board) at Kochi, India’s first Seafood Processing Park (a JVC with MPEDA) at Alappuzha
and Western India KINFRA Ltd. (a JVC with Kalapaka Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd.) at Palakkad. A Joint
Venture Company between KINFRA and ICICI, known as I-KIN, has been formed to identify and
facilitate the development of infrastructure projects in the State and another between KINFRA and
NTPC Electrical Supply Co. Ltd. (KINESCO) for distribution of power to KINFRA Parks in the State.

3.27 KINFRA has promoted investments in the State and created investment friendly climate within
its Parks, contributing significantly to the State’s economy. 626 industrial units have been allotted

Kerala State Planning Board