Kerala minister Rajeev shed light on the state’s digital and technological growth and debunked myths at Dakshin Dialogues 2024.
Published Oct 07, 2024 | 9:00 AM ⚊ Updated Oct 09, 2024 | 10:09 AM
Kerala's Industries and Law Minister P. Rajeev speaking at the Dakshin Dialogues 2024. (South First)
Kerala, a state often seen through the lens of its militant trade unionism from the 1970s and 1980s, continues to battle misconceptions that labour strikes and shutdowns define its industrial landscape.
Iconic companies like Gwalior Rayons, Premier Cables, Madura Coats, and Toshiba Anand, which closed operations amidst trade union strikes and environmental concerns, contribute to this lingering stereotype.
However, at the third edition of South First‘s annual thought conclave, Dakshin Dialogues-2024, Kerala’s Industries and Law Minister P. Rajeev shed light on the state’s transformation. In a conversation with Sateesh Andra of Endiya Partners, he addressed these misconceptions, highlighting Kerala’s progress and innovation in governance, industry, and technology, and debunking the outdated narrative.
“The general perception of Kerala regarding industries is very negative. Kerala is good for education, health, and human development, and is called God’s own country, which is nice to see. However, when it comes to industries, the perception is not good – ‘Communists are ruling the state and militant trade unions exist.’ But, these are just propaganda, and far from reality.” Rajeev said.
INS Vikrant, India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, is not just a prestigious symbol of the nation’s naval strength but also a proud product of Kerala, as part of the ‘Make in India’ initiative. During a recent round table on maritime and logistics, the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Cochin Shipyard highlighted a remarkable fact, “In the last 25 years, not a single man-hour has been lost due to strikes.”
He praised Kerala’s active trade unions, stating that despite their presence, the shipyard has maintained seamless operations. “While other states have witnessed unrest—factories attacked and managers harmed, as seen in Noida, Warangal, and even Andhra Pradesh — Kerala stands as an exception,” he emphasised.
Kerala’s Industries Minister, Rajeev, acknowledged the common misconceptions surrounding the state and said at Dakshin Dialogues, “I have the challenge of changing the misunderstanding about Kerala.”
“Not a single managerial person has been attacked by employees in Kerala in the past 25 years,” Rajeev remarked, underscoring the state’s commitment to fostering a safe and productive environment for both workers and industries.
“I have met with more than 5000 investors across the state, and we have taken several initiatives. You can now start an MSME in Kerala within a minute. When we took over the government, Kerala was ranked 28th in ease of doing business. Now, it is in the 1st place, which shows the investors’ faith in Kerala.” he said.
During this year’s Dakshin Dialogues, Minister P. Rajeev emphasised Kerala’s many pioneering achievements, underscoring the state’s leadership in technology and its dedication to inclusive digital development.
The state established the country’s first Technopark in 1990, in Thiruvananthapuram, setting the stage for India’s IT revolution.
Kerala was also home to India’s first electronics company, KELTRON (Kerala State Electronic Development Corporation), which manufactured the first television during Asian Games based on former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s instructions. KELTRON also played a crucial role in managing the ticketing system for India’s first metro, in Kolkata.
Kerala became the first fully e-governed state, with the country’s first fully digitalised banking sector. Recently, Kerala achieved another milestone by becoming the first state to have a fully digitalised High Court, inaugurated by the Chief Justice of India.
To ensure that technological advancements reach the needy, the state also launched the K-FON (Kerala Fibre Optic Network) initiative, providing free internet connectivity to those in need and high-speed connections to all government offices.
Additionally, Kerala boasts over 3,000 Akshaya centres in its villages, bridging the digital divide. The state has also established an AI campus in Kochi, employing 3,000 people, and witnessed reverse migration in the IT sector. Furthermore, Kerala is home to the country’s first Digital University, located in Thiruvananthapuram, along with various skill development institutions.
“Kerala has limited land, and the cost of land is high. On one side, we have Western Ghats regulations, and on the other side, we have CRZ (Coastal Regulation Zone) regulations. The forest-to-population ratio is very high, and now wild animals are demanding more land, encroaching into cities.
Kerala is a very ecologically sensitive area, so large manufacturing and polluting industries are not suitable here. If we allow big manufacturers, we will need to depend on migrant labour. In the garment and chemical industries, 90-95 percent of the workforce consists of migrant labourers, who earn ₹10,000 to ₹12,000 per month,” explained the minister.
Kerala has introduced a groundbreaking initiative where students can now engage in full-time paid internships with industries. Under this scheme, students can attend online lessons while gaining practical experience by working in IT or other sectors.
“Additionally, the government has launched ‘Campus Industrial Park’ project, allowing higher education institutions with surplus land to establish industrial parks on their premises. These parks will be given industrial status and will receive government incentives. Students working there will not only earn income but also receive bonus marks for their participation,” Rajeev pointed out.
Dakshin Dialogues 2024 was presented by KarPing in association with Governments of Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Karnataka along with Ichor Biologics, Start up Karnataka, ELCOT, K-Tech with IIIT-Hyderabad as knowledge partners.
(Edited by Neena)
