Kottayam, Friday 14 January 2010: Stressing the need to increase air connectivity to the state, Minister for Tourism Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has said many projects will be set up to boost tourism.

Planning Board has set apart a sizeable amount with the approval of the Legislative Assembly for various projects. Information Techonology, education, civil supplies and road development were the other areas to be focused in the next budget allocation, Kodiyeri said after inaugurating the Rs 1.70 crore Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary Development scheme at Kumarakom here.

The minister said a sum of Rs 200 crore was set apart for maintenance of roads. He said Kerala Tourism Development Corporation which was running in losses, is on development path. Except five units rest all other public sector units are making profit.

A unit of KTDC will be set up in Muzhappilangad shortly and the RTs 4.5 crore G V Raja Convention centre in Kovalam will be opened in February, he said. The ten-storey building of Kerala House in Chennai would be commissioned in February. With the completion of Kannur airport within two years tourism sector in northern Malabar will get a boost, he said.

(PTI)