Infrastructure projects worth ₹ 12,089.29 crore undertaken with funding via Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) have been completed. The spending so far on KIIFB-approved projects stands at ₹23,095.47 crore, show recent data released by KIIFB.
The highest spending is on public works-related infrastructure projects such as roads, ₹ 10,823 crore, followed by industries (₹ 3297 crore), water resources (₹ 2,232 crore), general education (₹ 1,721 crore), and power (₹ 1,475 crore).
The 45th board meeting of KIIFB held last week had added 64 more projects to the list of approved infrastructure projects taking the total number to 1057, worth a total of ₹ 80,352.04 crore.
As per the latest data, of the total 1057 projects approved so far by KIIFB, 485 are under the PWD, worth a total ₹ 29,551.39 crore. The general education sector has 143 projects, water resources 96 and higher education 73.
The agriculture sector has only one project in the list, the proposed ₹ 21.43 crore agropark in Thrissur. Three of the projects are included in the ‘land acquisition pool,’ which include three industrial parks, take-over of Hindustan Newsprint Ltd and the Kochi-Bengaluru industrial corridor and GIFT City.
Completed projects include fencing in 30 locations for preventing human-wildlife conflict, 269 school buildings, 44705 hi-tech classrooms, 56 projects under PWD and 14 water supply schemes.
Off-budget borrowings by KIIFB have been a matter of contention with the Centre treating them as direct liabilities of the State, much to the consternation of the State government. Despite strong objections raised by the State Government, the Centre has not wavered from its stand in this regard.
