Kerala Industries Minister, Elamaram Kareem, is denying irregularities in a deal with a Russian company to build a 10,000tn titanium sponge plant at Kollam. He asserts that the cost of the project had exceeded initial estimates since the cost of land was being included in the total amount. The opposition Congress party has said the project was conceived by its 2001-06 government and it was then estimated to cost Rs.10 billion. It alleged that cost has gone up to Rs.15 billion since the present government is corrupt. Mr Kareem stated that 100 acres of land had been acquired for the project and this, as well as the cost of additional infrastructure, has been taken into account while calculating the total cost of building the plant at Kollam. The plant is to be built by Rosoboron Exporters, a company run by the Russian government. Mr Kareem contends that talks are on to determine the stake of the Kerala government in the project.