Kerala’s Highly Skilled Human Resources Attracting Global Companies: P Rajeeve

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
Kerala’s highly skilled human resource coupled with new industrial policy is encouraging global companies to start and develop their activities in the state, said Minister for Law, Industries and Coir P Rajeeve.

The Minister was delivering a speech on “Kerala leading the waves of innovation & Entrepreneurship” at the ongoing Huddle Global Fest 2024 at Kovalam organised by Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM).

“IBM has started a Generative AI Innovation Centre in Kochi and has made a record 3000 recruits in two year which shows the depth of our skilled labor,” said Rajeeve. “Adding to that, IBM with the help of our human resources have successfully developed two tools for Delta Airlines and Facebook which according to IBM’s Senior Vice President is a big achievement,” he added. Rajeeve added that Kerala contributes 24 percent of the total turnover of the medical devices industry in the country which shows the potential of Kerala.

Rajeeve also explained how government’s initiative to establish Campus Industrial Parks in association with higher educational institutions helps in further developing skilled human resources. “Establishing Industrial Park along with the higher educational institution enables students to work in companies and earn salary on an hourly basis while studying, this is a novel concept,” said the Minister. “We have already received 80 expressions of interest from higher educational institutions, and 12 of them have already submitted online applications for the approval for the Industrial Park,” he added.

Explaining on the policy changes and institutional back-ups that enabled Kerala to achieve the top performer spot in ‘Ease of Doing Business’ from the 26th position, Rajeeve said “the Year of Enterprises initiative saw more than 3 lakh enterprises taking off in Kerala in last one year alone,” the Minister said.

“By incorporating the advantages and factoring in barriers we have adopted a new industrial policy with the motto ‘nature, people, industry,’ where nature and people come first. We are focusing on knowledge-based industries with 22 priority sectors including AI, blockchain technology, Graphene, big data analytics, machine learning, aerospace and defence, etc,” P Rajeeve pointed out.

The Minister mentioned that not a single factory was disrupted by workers’ agitation in the past 25 years in Kerala, which clearly shows that the state’s industrial landscape has turned totally investor-friendly and adaptive.

A P M Mohammed Hanish , Principal Secretary, Department of Industries outlined on the industrial projects that’s going to upscale the industrial and startup ecosystem of the state. “Kochi Bangalore Industrial Corridor, Development of three new industrial parks emphasizing on healthcare, petrochemical and rubber, Vizhinjam-Kollam-Punalur Growth Triangle which is expected to attract 3 lakh crore investment in three years and produce 15 lakhs jobs are some of the projects that shows the industrial vision of the government,” said Hanish.