Ker has attracted Rs 1 lakh Cr investment proposals:CM

Kerala has attracted Rs 1 lakh crore investment proposals going by entrepreneur feedback at the Global Investors Meet, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Friday at the conclusion of the event here held with the aim of enhancing ease of doing business in the state.

Overall, the two-day ASCEND 2020 event received 164 investment proposals, Vijayan said.

The Kerala Infrastructure Management Ltd has promised to invest Rs 8,110 crores, while the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority Rs 66,900 crore, he said.

The government plans to meet the prospective investors individually. A team led by Principal Secretary (Industries) K Ellangovan has been entrusted with this task, the chief minister said.

The government will seriously consider complaints against top officers who are indifferent or negative in their response to industrial investments, Vijayan said.

A meeting will be convened to sort out the matter by facilitating interaction between top bureaucrats and representatives of the investment community.

There would not be any intermediaries between prospective entrepreneurs looking for investment in Kerala and the authorities, Vijayan said.

"One can apply directly at several levels starting from the village office to the chief minister's office (CMO)," he said.

Noting that the government will accord priority to completing the projects proposed at the event, the chief minister said the government needed skilled labour across sectors.

"We are in talks with various universities to improve the standards of Kerala's courses in skills," he said.

Vijayan stressed that the government will pay special consideration to the investment proposals from MSMEs at the GIM while care will be taken to desist from projects that have a negative ecological impact.

The government has convened a meeting on January 21 of local administration presidents and secretaries, he said.

Odisha minister of State (Independent Charge) IT, Sports and Youth Services Tusharkanti Behera, who was the chief guest at the valedictory, said his state was looking forward to stronger cooperation with Kerala in sectors such as information technology.

The event was organised by the Kerala Department of Industries.