Kerala’s proposed entrepreneurship index aims to find what business suits which district

Kochi: Kerala will announce an entrepreneurship index to reveal the status of industries and investment potential in all its 14 districts, Minister for Industries, Law and Coir P Rajeeve said in Kochi on Monday. The proposed move will bring about rankings based on investment in all districts of the state. The minister said it would be a first of its kind effort by any state in the country.

The entrepreneurship index, modelled on the state health index, will throw light on which district leads in what sector and the job opportunities they provide. It is expected to reveal at one glance the kind of industries that will suit the districts.

Rajeeve made the announcement at a ‘Conclave on Continuing Investments’, organised by the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation and the Department of Industries & Commerce. As many as 282 investors attended the conclave held at Le Meridien.

Pointing out that Kerala has the lowest rate of industry failures in the country, Rajeeve said the figure in the state stood at 15 per cent, which was half of the national average. “The next two years will be of investments,” he said. “To ensure its success, we will organise investment events from the panchayat level in September and October. They will reveal not just the investment potential of each regions, but the outlook of the authorities towards industry.”

Principal Secretary (Industries) APM Mohammed Hanish presided over the opening session of the meet comprising delegates who had invested no less than Rs 5 crore in the last three years, bringing the total close to Rs 12,000 crore from within the state.