IT companies looking to invest in the State will have every facility extended to them in the more than 20 existing and planned technology hubs here.
The Chief Minister, Mr Oommen Chandy, said this in Bangalore while addressing a road show organised for the ‘Emerging Kerala Global Connect-2012’ event.
NEW IT CENTRES
Mr Chandy held discussions with representatives of companies such as IBM and Dell, technical training specialist NTTF, Taegu Tec India and Jubilant Life Sciences.
He told business leaders that the government has acquired nearly 1,600 acres of land for setting up IT centres.
Aspiring investors would get office space, infrastructure, power, connectivity, highly-skilled manpower, the advantage of low costs and proactive policy initiatives.
The government will also give thrust to basic infrastructure development and manufacturing. Sustainability will be at the core of all new projects and special attention will be given to eco-friendly and non-polluting industries.
ENTREPRENEURIAL SOCIETY
“We want development and conservation to go hand in hand. We need to safeguard the environment for the generations to come”.
Minister for industries and IT Mr P. K. Kunhalikutty said that creating and nurturing small and medium enterprises is vital for achieving faster and more inclusive growth.
The long-term aim is to transform Kerala from a wage-earning society to an entrepreneurial society, he said.
The power of IT is also being leveraged for public good, with e-governance getting top priority, said Mr V. Somasundaran, additional chief secretary, industries and commerce.
All government departments will soon be brought under an online tracking system.
FAST-TRACKING
Viable projects coming up at the event will be fast-tracked for clearances within 90 days. A Cabinet sub-committee has been set up for the purpose.
Mr Alkesh Sharma, Secretary, Industries and Investment Promotion, and managing director, Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC), made a detailed presentation on the event.
The ‘hub and spoke’ model followed by the leading technology parks for expansion means the state will have IT centres spaced along its entire length.
“We are also planning to establish a first-of-its-kind electronic hub for hardware manufacturing activity that will help generate global business,” he added.