Kerala govt mulls setting up Isro aerospace park, knowledge centre

ISRO chairman Sivan handed over a cheque for Rs 27 million, collected from the ISRO centres

ISRO chairman Dr K Sivan Friday visited Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at his office and held a discussion on the proposed Dr Kalam Knowledge Centre and Aerospace Park.

Both projects, planned in the state capital, are envisaged as a joint venture of the state government and the space agency.

Sivan informed the chief minister that the procedures regarding the Aerospace Park, coming up at Kinfra Park in nearby Kazhakkottom, would be completed within a month to ink the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

He also requested the government to help in getting official clearances for the proposed Kalam Knowledge Centre, named after former President Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, at Kowdiar.

Sivan, also Secretary, Department of Space, handed over a cheque for Rs 27 million, collected from the ISRO centres across the country, to the Chief Minster's Distress Relief Fund.

VSSC director S Somanath, Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) director V Narayanan, scientific advisor to Chief Minister M Chandra Dathan were among those present.