BY : THE HINDU

Union Defence Minister A.K. Antony said here on Sunday that the foundation stone for a manufacturing unit of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. would be laid in Kasaragod district on August 23.

Mr. Antony said the initial investment for the project would be Rs.66.31 crore and production was expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2009-10.

In the first phase, the facility would assemble, test and manufacture six types of air-borne mission computers. Thereafter, the facility would shift to production of other systems and sub-systems for various aircraft, such as the Medium Lift Helicopter and the fifth generation aircraft, he said.

Appreciative of the cooperation he got from the State government in identifying 200 acres (one acre = 0.4 hectare) of land for the project, Mr. Antony said there was no politics in development.

The land had been provided on a 99-year lease with the assurance that more would be allotted if the need arose.
Second defence unit

Special Correspondent adds from Thiruvanantha- puram: The strategic electronics manufacturing unit being set up at the Kinfra Industrial Park at Seethangoli in Kasaragod is the second defence establishment to be established in Kerala within a short span of time.

BrahMos Aerospace, under the Defence Ministry, had taken over Kerala Hitech Ltd., a State public sector enterprise, giving a new fillip to Central investment in the State.

The strategic electronics manufacturing unit is planned as an extension of the Hyderabad Avionics Division, which is engaged in the manufacture of a wide variety of electronic equipment in the areas of communication, radar, navigation, computers and electronic warfare.
Second defence unit

The facility in Kasaragod would be expanded to include new projects under the aircraft programmes and converted into a full-fledged division manufacturing systems and sub-systems for various aircraft.

The State Industries Department, particularly Industries Minister Elamaram Karim, has been working closely with Mr. Antony to facilitate increased Central investment in Kerala and the two sides have been happy to share credit for the same. The State government is looking forward to some more major investment decisions from the Centre in the coming days.