kochi the cashstrapped goshree islands development authority gida is turning into a real estate developer to generate funds to carry out longpending and promised projects the funds will also be used for new infra projects like roads and bridges that would connect the islands with the mainland at a meeting of the governing council convened by chief minister oommen chandy in kochi on monday gida decided to develop land owned by government or private individuals in areas which come under the agency and mobilise funds for implementing projects worth rs 1000 crore the land owned by gida and private parties in islands in kochi will be developed by providing infrastructure the same will be sold or leased to private investors for it parks and private to generate funds to carry out infrastructure and development projects a committee has been constituted to identify land parcels in islands in kochi and prepare terms and reference for securing land from private owners loca mp mlas gcda chairman and kochi mayor will be part of the committee the committee will sub mit its report to the state government within a month once the government appro ves the terms and reference an international agency will be entrusted for prepa ring a detailed project report dpr sources who attended the meeting said the plan agency will first secure government land those belonging to private parties within its limits then the agency will provide basic infrastructure to these islands in some islands in the area there are only very few families but the extent of land there would come to hundreds of acres for example there are only five or six families in one of the islands in an area of around 400 acresthese families holds only a few acres and the remaining land belongs to the government sources said once we are able to enter into an agreement with residents they will be given alternative land on the mainland the entire island would then be given a makeover by providing infrastructure such as road connectivity electricity water supply etc the land can then be leased out or sold to private investors or it parks and money generated for development some of the families from an island have come with the request to take over their land he said its up to the state government to decide on whether the land parcels thus developed should be leased out or sold he said the gida which was constituted for implementing development projects in the islands are short of at least rs 100 crore for carrying out works which they have already undertaken