Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 4 (PTI) Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday inaugurated the Kerala pavilion at Dubai Expo 2020 and welcomed the companies and businesses in the UAE to take advantage of the present business friendly environment in the southern state.
Vijayan, while addressing a gathering at the Expo, said over the years, Kerala has invested heavily in connectivity, communication networks, skill development and infrastructure, giving the State an intrinsic advantage for growth in industry.
Making it clear that Kerala aims to attract investment in Healthcare, Life Sciences, Petrochemical, Aviation, Defence, Food Processing sectors, Vijayan said about 52 per cent of the existing industrial units in the State were established in the last six years.
"Our strategic sectors seeking investments are the ones in the knowledge sector and highly skilled sectors... Healthcare, Life Sciences, Petrochemical, Aviation, Defence, Food Processing are some of the sectors where the State is keen to attract investments," he said.
He said Kerala was committed to improving the ease of doing business in the state through a number of initiatives including simplification of procedures, enablement of digital engagement channels such as Kerala Single Window Interface for Fast and Transparent Clearance (K-SWIFT) and Kerala-Central Inspection System (K-CIS).
"On the industrial front, through a series of legislations and rules the process of industrial licensing has been moved to online platforms and made automatic and transparent," he said.
The chief minister said Kerala is regarded as the social capital of India and it is now emerging as an important destination for investments.
Explaining the importance of the United Arab Emirates India and vice versa, Vijayan said it houses over two million Indians who are well represented in all spheres of work and they contribute greatly to the economic development of UAE.
"As far as Keralites are concerned, UAE is their second home, with nearly 1.2 million Malayalis residing here. The Malayali community in UAE has played a significant role in nurturing and further strengthening the friendly relations between the two regions," he said.
The Left leader said the Dubai Expo will enrich the state with ideas and avenues that will go a long way in strengthening ties and cementing the future of both the regions.
"Kerala has consistently been among the top 5 States in India for social development and sustainability indicators, as per the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With its high Human Development Index (HDI), and a host of reforms initiated on the industrial front, Kerala is all set to achieve the next wave of economic development through investments," he said.
During his address, Vijayan explained the projects under the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) which is the nodal agency to scrutinise, approve and fund major infrastructure projects with its target of Rs. 60,000 crore, over the next 5 years.
He also said that the Left government was building a statewide optical fibre network Kerala Fiber Optic Network (KFON), with a vision to "transform Kerala into an intelligent, innovative and inclusive society".
