18 mega projects with over ₹100 crore investment each to be showcased

ASCEND 2020, a two-day global investors meet beginning here on January 9, will showcase 18 mega projects with over ₹100 crore investment each and offering direct employment to over 9,000 people.

The projects include a Kochi-to-Palakkad integrated manufacturing cluster, an electronic hardware park in Ernakulam district, integrated solid-waste management systems in Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur and Malappuram, a medium density fibreboard plant in Perumbavoor and a defence park at Ottappalam.

According to the Kerala Bureau of Industrial Promotion, the meet being organised by the Industries Department at Grand Hyatt will also highlight 70-odd other projects classified as large, medium and small,

The other mega projects include a propylene oxide manufacturing plant of 2,00,000 MPA capacity in the vicinity of BPCL-Kochi Refinery, a PVC manufacturing facility of capacity 150,000 TPA, a ₹1,864-crore Kinfra-initiated Petrochemical Park of international standards at Ambalamugal, a multi-modal logistics park including a free trade warehousing zone near the Cochin Port, and a ₹900-crore super- absorbent polymer plant considering an increasing demand for diapers and female hygiene products besides the medical and agriculture industry.

Kinfra is also keen to set up a ₹400-crore logistics hub in Palakkad with warehousing facility, while the thrust will also be given to set up a ₹300-crore cryogenic warehouse at Puthuvypeen next to the LNG terminal.

ASCEND 2020 comes when a paradigm shift is experiencing in the State in harnessing industrial investments. The Invest Kerala Portal (https://invest.kerala.gov.in), a single-window facilitator for hassle-free investment promotion launched under its ease of doing business initiative, will also be showcased at the meet.