Kochi The Kerala government on Friday wrapped up a MoU with Bharat Petroleum for a slew of petroleum and gas projects totalling an investment to the tune of Rs.20,000 crore.

Chief minister Oommen Chandy signed the pact with BPCL chairman RK Singh on the final day of the three-day Emerging Kerala meet. The agreement involves raising the production capacity of Kochi Refineries from the present 9.5 million MT to 15.5 million MT and setting up of a petrochemical complex. This would give direct employment to 10,000 people and indirect jobs to 25,000 others, marking a radical change in Kerala’s industrial annals, RK Singh said.

ThiruvananthapuramKerala, counting on debt funding by Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to feed 80% of its proposed R1.18-lakh-crore high-speed rail corridor project, is likely to corner some Japanese industrial investment too, as if in bonus.

A business team, led by Japanese diplomatic officials, has been in talks with state industry officials on a project for manufacturing advanced technology components for high-speed trains.

The R5,146-crore Kochi Metro project is back on track, as Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) former managing director E Sreedharan and Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy broke ice over the recent global tender issue. If DMRC were to be handed over charge of the project, Kochi Metro will be commissioned within three years, Sreedharan said. And hence Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) has dropped its plans to invite global tenders for the project.

ThiruvananthapuramAs tensions between Kerala and Tamil Nadu escalate over the Mullaperiyar dam issue, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is expected to don the mantle of a troubleshooter.

Thiruvananthapuram The National Food Security Bill (NFSB), which would entail an expenditure of R1 lakh crore in subsidies to the exchequer, is almost ready.

Thiruvananthapuram The Kerala government has mooted a business-model with tribals of Palakkad to rev up its green energy production with an 80-mw wind power plan.

Thiruvananthapuram The new UDF government in Kerala is taking a headlong plunge into the R15,000-crore Unique Identification Card (UID card) project.

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala, the gateway to India