Kerala, which elected the world’s first ever communist government and prides itself on its human development and social welfare model, now wants to go from being a State of ‘wage earners’ to ‘one of entrepreneurs’.
That is what Kerala Minister for Industries, IT and Urban Development P.K. Kunhalikutty announced at the road show in Bangalore promoting Emerging Kerala 2012, an investor meet that the government has planned in association with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) at Kochi from September 12 to 14.
Businesses welcome
Pitching the State’s achievements in human indicators and natural bounty as its unique selling point, the Minister made a case for businesses in Bangalore and elsewhere to invest in Kerala.
Speaking at a business meet in Bangalore on Friday, Kerala State Planning Board Vice-Chairman K.M. Chandrashekhar said the government was committed to making the State a preferred investment destination by taking up various policy initiatives and offering ground-level support to investors and business enterprises. It was also simplifying procedures with the active participation and assistance of the industry.
Kerala proposes to double its power generation capacity by commissioning more power projects. It had already identified more than 1,600 hectares for industries.
V. Somasundaran, Additional Chief Secretary, Industries and Commerce, pointed out that the Kerala government would fast-track viable projects by giving clearance within 90 days and a Cabinet sub-committee had been formed to this end. An online single window clearance system too would be put in place.
Labour activism
Addressing a gathering of business persons and potential investors later in the day, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy assured that labour activism in the State was a thing of the past and industries would not have to worry on that count. “The State is already committed to the principle of public-private partnership and would actively seek private sector investment and also FDI in infrastructure development.”
Meet in September
The investor meet in September is likely to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, while seven Union Ministers had confirmed their participation, he said.
Infosys Co-Chairman Kris Gopalakrishnan was present.
