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  • Category: General

    Can Yusuf Ali Turn Dumb City Into Smart City

    The smart city project – the would-be IT hub of Kerala and its star employment generator – is once again in the news. The project, a brainchild of the UDF government in 2003 under the chief ministership of Mr A K Antony, has been in the doldrums ever since the much-hyped agreement-signing ceremony held in May 2007. To be located in the outskirts of Kochi in Kakkanadu, this project after completion was supposed to generate 100,000 employment opportunities for job-seekers. From its inception onwards, the project was caught in political controversies, and every political party in Kerala has used this project to score silly points over the other. Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan has caused a lot of embarrassment to the NRI community in the Middle East by issuing avoidable statements that were not very flattering to the Dubai-based promoters of the project, Dubai Internet City. The recent one being his statements on Farid Abdulrahman, the CEO of the project.
    Now Kerala government has delegated Mr MA Yusuf Ali to hold talks with the Internet City officials in Dubai. All eyes are set on this Kerala-born business man, who owns a multi-billion business empire in the Middle East, and is very popular with the governments and Sheikhs there. The all important question is: Can Yusuf Ali revive this project thru his mediations with the authorities in Dubai? People have lost faith in politicians. When one goes by the track record of this project so far, this venture should be aptly called Dumb City instead of Smart City. Does Yusuf Ali have enough magic to turn Dumb into Smart?
  • #1619
    As far as I know, our govt is not at all interested in Smart city project. But, since they started the project, it is not easy to close the chapter. So, our govt. is trying to force the other party to quit the project. That is why our CM made such comments over Smart city CEO, to provocate them to close this chapter.

    Even after the mediation talks by M A Yousafali, if the govt. is not willing, what will happen. At the end of the day, CM will make the same comment about Yousafali also.

    Loss and Gain are the two sides of a Coin.
    For every Gain, there should be a Loss.
    When I Gain something from you, definitely you loose that, and when you gain something from me, I loose it.

  • #1621
    Joseph,

    Thanks for starting this good discussion.

    I personally have a lot of hope that Yusuf Ali can do some wonders here and make Smartcity a reality.

  • #1625
    Lots of hopes have been pinned on the M A Yusuf Ali to hold talks with the Internet City officials in Dubai. Being a business man to the core i hope he will not loose this opportunity to slip from his side. Lets wait for good out come.

    K Mohan

    Every drop of water counts... And every word posted here also counts.....

  • #2008
    The action had already over.Really Mr.Yusaf Ali had told he will invest first in Kerala rather than investing in any other states or countries.He really knows the political conditions and the problems of Kerala.Still he is enthusiastic.Many of his projects are coming in ad around Kochi itself.Now he was the mediator between TECOM and Kerala Government for starting the works of Smart City.It is almost ended up by signing the treaty.But our chief minister VS Achuthanandan had asked to change the CEO of smart city.He is creating controversies again.This will inhibit the future actions.Still Kerala dreams a smart city at Kochi in near future.


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