Thiruvananthapuram, Saturday 05 June 2010: Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan has said the State government will look for option means for the development of Kochi Smart City project if the proposed deal with the Tecom failed to materialize.

Speaking after launching the development project of the Technocity IT township at Pallipuram near here, Achuthanandan said the LDF government would not dilute the terms of the proposed pact with the investors of Smart City project. ‘‘The Dubai-based company does not seem to be ready to come to an agreement on our terms. In that case, we will have to look at other alternatives,” Achuthanandan said.

Achuthanandan said six techno lodges would be opened this year to provide infrastructure facilities for IT firms in rural areas. “There has been a spurt in the development of Technopark, Thiruvananthapuram, and Infopark, Kochi, over the last four years. The Cyberpark in Kozhikode and the satellite IT parks at various locations are also aimed at broadbasing the development of the IT sector in Kerala.”

The Technocity project, he said, would generate two-lakh jobs in the IT, biotechnology and nanotechnology sectors. Achuthanandan lit a ceremonial lamp to launch the project and unveiled a plaque.

Opposition Leader Oommen Chandy said despite an early start, Kerala had failed to match the growth of other States in the IT sector. “Were it not for the controversies that dogged the project in the initial phase, the Technocity campus would have been inaugurated by now,” he said. Chandy stressed the need to sink differences.