From drone research park to IT hub: Kottarakkara gets a handful from Kerala budget

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Finance Minister KN Balagopal announced a handful of projects for his constituency, Kottarakkara, in the state budget. The Drone Research and Development Park aims at the development and production of drone technologies. The project is being implemented by K-Space in collaboration with the Kerala Academy for Skill Excellence. Rupees five crores have been allocated.

Rs 10 crores for setting up an integrated IT cum industrial park in Kottarakkara. Along with this, 10 crores have been allocated for the expansion of the industrial park in Kollam. Rs 2 crores for setting up a Mahatma Gandhi Public Library and Gandhi Memorial at Musavari Bungalow, which holds memories of Gandhiji's visit, in Thrikkannamangal.

The minister alluded to Kudumbashree members Shubha and her team, who run a startup called Toko Chips, led by a young entrepreneur named Reshma from Ezhukone Grama Panchayat. Along with this, 10 crores have been allocated in the budget for community kitchens and private partnership startups in the state.

• 150 crores for the Work Near Home project, which will provide IT and IT-based jobs to 150 people.

• 50 lakhs for the establishment of the Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA), Kottarakkara Ambedkar Chair.

• 30.70 crores have been allocated for the operation of science and technology museums in the state, including the Kottarakkara Science Museum.