Make ‘full use’ of Kerala’s skilled HR, Minister urges entrepreneurs in Delhi
Trivandrum / December 6, 2024
Thiruvananthapuram, Dec. 06: Kerala Industries Minister Shri P Rajeeve today urged entrepreneurs in the national capital to invest in the state, reeling out the government’s industry-friendly measures that called for shedding “deep-rooted presumptions”.
Addressing a road-show at Taj Mahal hotel in New Delhi in the run-up to next year’s Invest Kerala Global Summit in Kochi, Shri Rajeeve pointed out that the Centre had recently ranked Kerala as top achiever among the states in ‘Ease of Doing Business Reforms’.
Three months ago, the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry slotted Kerala as first in the country following its reforms that paid off in obtaining utility permits and paying taxes without hindrance, he recalled at a 40-minute talk attended by renowned personalities in the industry and corporate sectors.
Further, Kerala has a good track-record of not losing Man-days, contrary to the perception of it being a state with high number of labour strikes, the Minister noted. Reinforcing the point, he cited examples of Cochin Shipyard which wasted “not a single man-hour” during its construction of the Rs 23,000-crore INS Vikrant after its design began in 1999 and got commissioned in September 2022. The ship emerged to be the country’s first indigenous aircraft-carrier, he told the audience amid loud applause.
Similarly, the public sector BPCL is spending up to Rs 36,000 crore on capital expenditure in the two financial years ending 2025-26, with major spends focussed on refineries, marketing and petrochemicals, he pointed out. Also, the 1983-established Terumo Penpol, based in Thiruvananthapuram, is today the country’s largest blood-bag manufacturer, the Minister pointed out, lauding the efforts of its founder Shri C. Balagopal, who was present at the event as the Chairman of Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC).
Among other delegates in the visiting Kerala team was Principal Secretary (Industries and Commerce) Shri A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish, who gave a presentation on the state’s new Industrial Policy. The others included KSIDC Managing Director Shri S. Harikishore, Executive Director Shri Harikrishnan R and KINFRA Managing Director Shri Santhosh Koshy Thomas, besides FICCI Regional and State Councils Director Shri Tarun Jain.
Minister Rajeeve, whose team was in Mumbai on Thursday on a similar road-show, revealed that the state was invigorating its efforts to make Kerala a knowledge economy. “For products to come up, we need intelligence. For that, Kerala is the right place in the country,” he reiterated, listing out its renowned establishments such as Digital University and Kerala Knowledge Economy Mission.
“Kerala might be small in geographical size, but we are certainly on the forefront when you go for a comparative analysis regarding the secondary and service sectors vis-à-vis other states,” Shri Rajeeve averred. “True, unlike them, we don’t have vast expanses of land available for industries. But Kerala is top when it comes to skilled workers,” he said, exhorting entrepreneurs to make “best use” of the rich human resource pool.
Kerala is at the country’s forefront in the field of IT and other advanced technologies, the Minister noted. “Many foreign companies are opening offices in Kerala and are ready to invest in these sectors,” he added. “We are home to world-class firms manufacturing health equipment. Also, companies related to defence and aerospace-related technology have huge potential in Kerala. They can augment employment opportunities in the state.”
Citing a “huge increase” in the number of people returning to Kerala and starting ventures, the Minister said the “reverse migration is happening”. The state occupies only 1.18 per cent of the country’s size, but contributes four per cent to the GDP, he added.
As the government aims to identify the potential of Kerala and formulate industrial projects and attract investment, the government has identified 22 priority sectors in the Industrial Policy 2023, he pointed out, adding that the state has been at the forefront of achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. “We rank first in the country in terms of education, health, social security and infrastructure. We urge the support and cooperation from the investment community and industry leaders to make full use of the situation,” he added.
Today’s road-show was part of a series of conclaves the government has been holding in its build-up to the 2025 Invest Kerala Global Summit in Kochi on February 21 and 22. The conclave will showcase and focus on 22 priority areas that the government has identified in its New Industrial Policy. KSIDC had hosted similar road-shows in Chennai and Bengaluru, besides Mumbai. Those abroad are in Dubai, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
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