Keralam has all advantages to net big investments: Minister Shri P K Kunhalikutty

Trivandrum / September 16, 2026

Thiruvananthapuram, Sept 16: Keralam has a very conducive environment to attract large investments,such as a long coastline, a major port like Vizhinjam and rail-road- and air connectivity, said Shri P. K. Kunhalikutty, Minister for Industries, Commerce, Information Technology, and Artificial Intelligence, while chairing the Round Table Conference on ‘Invest Keralam’ on the opening day of ‘Reimagining Keralam’ here today.

“Our only constraint is availability of land, for which we need to develop land banks to overcome that shortcoming,” said the Minister said.

The State Cabinet has approved a proposal to implement a scheme, ‘Saral Keralam’ (Simplified and Accelerated Regulatory Approvals and Licences), envisaged as an initiative to attract new investments and businesses by providing timely issuance of necessary licences and permits for industrial ventures through single-window clearances, said Shri Kunhalikutty at the conference.

Many technology investment enquiries are coming now and the government is committed to provide these investors the right environment and handhold them through the implementation of their projects, said Shri Kunhalikutty.

Minister for Higher Education Shri. Roji M John, who also spoke at the conference, said the cabinet has decided to welcome investors to establish private universities in the state and collaborate with foreign universities.

The Government has also decided to modify the existing educational curriculum in accordance with industry needs so that the younger generation would get better employment opportunities in their home state itself, said Shri Roji M John.

The deliberations focused on the Government proposal to implement an apex three-tier governance chain and a distinct zone framework to attract large-scale investment by constituting an Investment Advisory Council (IAC), Invest Keralam Cell (IKC)and Special Investment Zones (SIZs).

The  three-tier governance chain will comprise Invest Keralam Cell — an apex single windowby transforming KSIDC's existing promotion and facilitation mechanism into a data-driven, AI-supported single-window facility;an Investment Advisory Councilto provide market intelligence, global trends, and strategic direction and a Special Investment Zone — a planned economic zone with world-class infrastructure, streamlined clearances, pooled resources for themed based industries.

The initiative is expected to bring in investment worth ₹10,000–20,000 Cr over ten years and generate 50,000 to 75,000 direct jobs in as many years.

Shri. A P M Mohammed Hanish, IAS, Addl. Chief Secretary, Industries & Commerce; G Vijaya Raghavan, State Planning Board member and Founding CEO of Technopark; Shri Snehil Kumar Singh IAS, Managing Director, KSIDC; Shri S.N. Raghuchandran Nair, President, Trivandrum Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TCCI), industry leaders, KSIDC officials and other stakeholders attended the conference.

‘Reimagining Keralam’, a three-day initiative that began today, features a series of Round Table Conferences (RTCs) to evolve the framework for fast-tracking the transformational projects announced by the State Government in its 2026-27 Budget.

Ends