Kerala Books and Publications Society Kakkanad

Kerala Books and Publications Society Kakkanad

The Kerala Books and Publications Society is registered under the Travancore Cochin Literary, Scientific and Charitable Society registration Act, 1955. The Society is fully owned by the Government of Kerala and established for printing the entire text books required by the school children in the State.

The Society’s Press at Kakkanad, Kochi was established with technical collaboration of M/s. Unitechna of erstwhile German Democratic Republic (GDR) under deferred payment agreement. The Administrative Office and the Press building are located in 3.97 hectres of land at Kakkanad near Civil Station where Collectorate Ernakulam and other battery of Government Offices are functioning. The press is the biggest multicolour offset printing unit in Kerala Government Sector. The Society started commercial production in August 1978. The senior technical persons in KBPS are trained in GDR.

In order to achieve the objectives of the Society it entered into an agreement with M/s. Unitechna of German Democratic Republic for the supply, erection and commissioning of a printing Press at Kakkanad for a total cost of Rs. 104.39 lakhs on a turn key basis. It was agreed with M/s. Unitechna that the cost of the plant and machinery to be erected will be paid back to M/s. Unitechna 16 semi annual installments with interest at 4.5%. The Society has already paid back the amount.

The Government of Kerala had extended loans amounting to Rs. 232 lakhs repayable in 15 annual installments. The Government have also provided 3.97 hectres of land and constructed the press building and administrative block costing about 100 lakhs. Thus in all the investment can be termed as Rs. 5 crores by the time the press was commissioned in 1978. The Government have charged lease rent at the rate of 7% per annum over their investments of 100 lakhs.