Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Tuesday said a positive and practical approach was needed to woo investors and investments to the State.
After launching the logo of ‘Emerging Kerala 2012' to be held at Kochi from April 19, Mr. Chandy said a stubborn attitude would not help the State to emerge as a major business hub in southern India.
The Chief Minister said his government was looking forward to the three-day event organised by the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) to showcase opportunities in the State and spread the message across the world that the State was ready to receive investors.
The Global Investors Meet in 2003, when A.K. Antony was the Chief Minister, was the first step in this direction.
The World Bank after a study in 2005 had found that Kerala was the second best investor-friendly State in the country after Karnataka.
Mr.Chandy said the State had lost that rank when a World Bank study report came in 2008. In the case of infrastructure, the State had missed opportunities.
“It is an opportunity to showcase Kerala and we are keenly organising the three-day event. A positive thinking is the need of the hour. We need results of this event,” the Chief Minister said.
He criticised the media for projecting that the State had not been granted the much sought-after rail zone during the talks with Union Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi. “The decision to create the post of Chief Administrative Officer in the State is the first step in this direction,” he said.
Minister for Industries P.K. Kunhalikutty said the investors meet would not be confined to just signing memorandum of understandings. “Projects that will bring in investments to the State are in the pipeline. The government is for developing a business development framework that will enable the State to emerge as an attractive investment destination.”
Later, a committee headed by the Chief Minister, with the Industries Minister as vice-chairman, and the council of Ministers and secretaries reviewed the progress of the campaign.
Project committees headed by Ministers had been set up for finalising policies and projects, identifying priority areas, preparing project profiles, and initiating discussions with prospective entrepreneurs with respect to each department.
A committee headed by the Chief Secretary is being set up to recommend a special package of incentives for the projects. As many as 26 sectors will be showcased at the meet.
