Start Industries Suiting Youth’s Skillset: Minister Rajeeve

KANNUR:
Kerala promises plenty of opportunities for investors to start ventures that leverage the skillset of the youth, which will help them find jobs in the state itself, Minister for Industries, Law and Coir Minister P. Rajeeve said today.

The Minister was speaking while inaugurating the Malabar Conclave, organized by the state Industries Department in the run-up to the Invest Kerala Global Summit, scheduled in Kochi on February 21 and 22.

“If industries which suit the aptitude and qualifications of our educated youth and aspiring entrepreneurs come up in the state, Kerala’s employment opportunities will be brighter,” the Minister noted.

Noting that Malabar is a “fertile soil for industrial growth”, Rajeeve said the government’s ‘Year of Enterprises’ initiative, which is now into its third phase, has mobilised an investment of about Rs 2,300 crore in North Kerala alone.

“Importantly, this investment has been raised from within the local community, and it generated more than 50,000 jobs,” he pointed out.

Major plans are afoot for industrial development of the Malabar region. For instance, a master plan has been charted out for setting up a 500-acre Industrial Park of immense potential in Mattannur in Kannur district. “Soon, another 500 acres will be available,” he revealed, explaining that the plan was to build a smart industrial park, on the lines of the one at Palakkad, consisting of malls and residential complexes.

Further, an industrial park will be developed on 100 acres of land of the Plantation Corporation at Kasaragod. Kanhangad Industrial Park and Cheemeni IT Park are in various stages of progress.

Of the 31 licenses that have been issued for private industrial parks in the state, 11 are in four districts of Malabar. Permission will be given to 50 private industrial parks in the state next month, the Minister added.

Overall, Malabar can make a significant contribution to the Mission 1000 project that envisages 1,000 companies with an average gross income of Rs 100 crore, he added.

Azhikode MLA K.V. Sumesh, who chaired the function, commended the Minister for his interventions that have changed a “negative attitude” in the industrial environment. “We must utilise the potential of fishery sector in Malabar in stronger ways,” he added.

Principal Secretary (Industries and Commerce) Shri A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish made a presentation on the February 21-22 Invest Kerala Global Summit at Kochi. Detailing the new initiatives of the Industries Department, he pointed out that international shipping companies in Dubai have indicated at a prospective profit of Rs 1.51 crore per trip if shipping transactions are done via Vizhinjam down the state.

KSIDC Director P.K. Mayan Mohammed, MD of Western India Plywoods, in his keynote address said industries in Kerala needed more infrastructure than tax concessions. Prominent industrialist V.K.C. Razak of VKC Group spoke on ‘Industrial Ecosystem in Malabar’.

Other speakers were Industries Department Director Mir Mohammed Ali, Kannur District Collector Arun K Vijayan, Invest Kerala OSD Vishnuraj P, KINFRA Managing Director Santosh Koshy Thomas and KSIDC Executive Director Hari Krishnan R.