File Photo: Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy
Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy today said the first phase of the SmartCity project, which will be home to knowledge-based companies, will be inaugurated in December this year.
After reviewing progress of the project at the 45th Board of Directors meeting at SmartCity Pavilion at Kakkanad about 18 km from Kochi, he also said the second phase of the project would be launched in the same month.
SmartCity Kochi, spread over 246 acres in the IT corridor of Kochi, is a hub for all Information and Communication Technology (ICT), media, finance and education (research) companies, attracting them from within India and overseas.
"The first phase of SmartCity project comprises 6.5 lakh sq ft of built-up space. In the second phase, a project with 47 lakh sq ft will be developed. With completion of the second project, it will provide direct job opportunities for 45,000 people," the Chief Minister said.
Minister for Industries and IT, P K Kunjalikutty, Minister for Excise and Fisheries K Babu, Chief Secretary Jiji Thomson, Smartcity Vice Chairman Jaber Bin Hafez, Dubai-based Indian business tycoon M A Yousuf Ali, CEO Baju George and Principal Secretary IT P H Kurien attended the meeting.
The state government had recently decided to extend stamp duty and registration fee exemption given to IT units and IT developers in Special Economic Zones to co-developers as well, which was the stumbling block that prevented the co-developers of SmartCity to commence their construction.
The four review meetings held under the chairmanship of Jiji Thomson has helped resolve several pending issues and put the project on a faster mode.