Launching 'Citizens for Kollam Development'

I am launching a peoples’ organisation titled ‘Citizens for Kollam Development’(CKD) to articulate, mobilize the public, energise and implement projects and programmes for the comprehensive development of the Kollam region.

The Town Planning Development had a decade ago, during my tenure as MP, prepared and published a Master Plan for development of Kollam which remains largely unimplemented. SriJacob Easo, former Additional Chief Town Planner, Kerala who was earlier District Town Planner Kollam, presented at the Kollam City Development Seminar two days ago, inaugurated by me, an excellent presentation of this plan and the present state of affairs.

I want to bring under the CKD all interested public and professional organizations and concerned citizens who adore their native town of Kollam and are yearning for its deserved growth and development. 

I had as MP from Kollam tried my best to give a thrust to the area’s development and some of the achievements were – the Thankassery Fishing Harbour, NH bypass, Parvathy Mill revival as well as numerous smaller schemes. People who know still appreciate these efforts. 

CKD will push for the National Cashew Board, a Government Medical College, development of the Kollam Port as a critical auxiliary Port of Vizhinjam and Kochi, Completion of the NH Bypass, Infrastructure Development including Roads, Waterways, Water supply, Drainage & Sewage and Waste Management. Almost a hundred iconic schemes in the region have been identified for special attention. Kollam - straddling the Arabian Sea, with the gorgeous Ashtamudi Kayal and extending through the fertile middle land to the Sahya hills at Aryankavu has tremendous potential for Tourism including backwater and eco tourism. The traditional industries of Cashew, Coir and Fisheries have to be conserved, modernised and progressed. There is scope for making Kollam a hub for education, health care including medical tourism and information and Biotechnology. I am personally launching some schemes in the Private and voluntary sector like a Rajiv Gandhi Medi-City including a Cancer Hospital, an international school, an employment programme for Kollam’s youth with the help of National Skills Mission and several national and international employer groups. The CKD also hopes to promote and provide a wide spectrum of volunteer services to citizens including a Citizen Service Centre.