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Year of Enterprises 2.0

Year of Enterprises 2022-23: One Lakh Enterprises

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2022 - 23 Year of Enterprises

Introduction

The Government of Kerala (GoK) as part of celebrating the financial year 2022-23 as the‘Year of Enterprises’ to encourage and promote more Micro, Small and Medium level entrepreneurs in the State have entrusted the Directorate of Industries with the initiative “Setting up of One Lakh Enterprises during 2022-23”.

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With the aim to strengthen MSMEs in the state for equitable distribution among all strata of the society especially neo-entrepreneurs, women& other weaker sections, NRK investors, ex-service men etc., the State has undertaken several initiatives to provide adequate industrial infrastructure and develop clusters, facilitate MSMEs through simplified industrial licensing procedures, providing financial incentives/assistance, capacity building & skilling for creating local jobs, revive sick units,export promotion and technical assistance. This new initiative is part of the sustained efforts taken by the Government to encourage economic growth and promote social & economic development in the State despite the challenges imposed by pandemic, natural calamities, and resource constraints.The key objectives of the scheme are as follows:

  1. To commence at least 1 lakh enterprises in Kerala in 2022-23
  2. To create a robust ecosystem for Enterprises Development with the convergence and support of all line departments, agencies, PSUs and Banks
  3. To create an Enterprises-friendly ecosystem to boost job creation in the State
  4. To create at least 3 lakh jobs in Kerala in 2022 – 23
  5. To enhance capacity of State level agencies in accelerating enterprises growth in the State
Sl No. District Target
1 Thiruvananthapuram 14,902
2 Kollam 11,775
3 Pathanamthitta 5,408
4 Alappuzha 9,666
5 Kottayam 8,834
6 Idukki 5,007
7 Ernakulam 14,610
8 Thrissur 13,533
9 Palakkad 12,721
10 Malappuram 18,601
11 Kozhikode 13,925
12 Wayanad 3,687
13 Kannur 11,366
14 Kasaragod 5,965
  Total 150,000

Initial Research & Background works

  • November 2021- Planning & Concept Development +

    As part of the concept development of the scheme and to plan the future activities, several brainstorming sessions and idea generation meetings were held at Minister, Secretary and official levels. Based on the suggestions and inputs derived it was decided as a first step to consolidate the information related to the various aspects of the industrial development and promotion in the State, to serve as a ready reckoner for the stakeholders in the industrial ecosystem. The data collection for the same was conducted through the District Industries Centers. Accordingly, 7 booklets were published as follows:

     

    Sl No. Description Booklets
    1 License needs of 23 sectors View Booklet PDF
    2 Potential businesses / thrust sectors of all 14 districts and 152 blocks View Booklet PDF
    3 Relevant subsidy/ loan schemes of 34 departments View Booklet PDF
    4 65 Commercialized technologies from 18 institutions in 14 districts View Booklet PDF
    5 District and department wise availability of incubation centres, skill training centres View Booklet PDF
    6 District and department wise availability Land/Building View Booklet PDF
    7 One Local Body One Product (OLOP) programme View Booklet PDF

  • December 2021- Scheme Implementation Strategy +

    A detailed strategy for the implementation of the One Lakh Enterprises scheme was developed by the Directorate of Industries and Commerce (DIC). Various meetings with the Hon’ble Minister for Industries & Commerce, Principal Secretary Industries and Chief Secretary were held in this regard.The broad concept was presented to the Chief Secretary on 22/12/2021 and before the Chief Minister on 30/12/2021.The strategy involved a threephased‑ approachwithactivities for Institutional Development&Capacity Building, Marketing and Promotional Outreach and MSME Facilitation &Grievance Redressal.

     Phase I: Institutional Development & Capacity Building 

    Campaigns to be conducted at LSGD levels across the State for identifying entrepreneurs and creating awarenessamongst them regarding the processes involved in starting a business and the support mechanisms available. One-day General Orientation Trainings comprising 5 sessions on licenses, technology, subsidy schemes,interaction with mentors and potential investment areaswith an estimated participation of 1- 2 lakh aspiring entrepreneurs.The knowledge materials will be distributed among the participants who will also be given awareness about the various agencies and government bodies that are offering services to entrepreneurs. License/ loan/ subsidy camps will be conducted in all local bodies for entrepreneursinterested after the General Orientation Campaign wherein assistance in applyingunder KSWIFT, loan from banks at reduced interest rates, subsidy fromdepartments etc. would be provided.

    Phase II: Marketing and Promotional Outreach

    In the second phase, 1153professionally qualified interns will be recruited and appointed at all local bodies across the State for facilitating the requirements coming from the side of identified entrepreneurs and to further identify potential entrepreneurs.The interns would be given training in all aspects of industrial facilitation to provide awareness to entrepreneurs on the various services available, and to coordinate with various agencies and departments for processing the applications for licenses, subsidies, loans, etc. They would be given monthly targets for identifying and encouraging aspiring entrepreneurs to set up enterprises in the State to achieve a milestone on 100,000 enterprises by the 31st March 2023.

    Phase III: MSME Facilitation & Grievance Redressal         

    To further strengthen the efforts undertaken in the earlier stages of the scheme implementation and to bring about ease of doing business, various systems will be put in place at different levels such as Meet the Minister Programmesheld at district level to address the issues faced by entrepreneurs, introducing Private Industrial Park scheme, One Local Body One Product Scheme (OLOP), MSME award scheme, new Land Policy to consolidate the allotment of land and related procedures, setting up MSME Clinics for providing technical/ financial/ legal advisory services, setting up taluk-level Industrial Facilitation Centres, loan scheme with interest subvention to make finance available at 4% interest rate, establishing MSME call centres for clearing doubts, District and State Level Grievance Redressal Committees for Grievance Redressal Of Entrepreneurs, introducing Commerce Mission to identify national and international markets for the products of micro, small and medium enterprises from Kerala, etc.

    The scheme objectives could be met through the convergence and support of all the line departments such as Department of Cooperation, Kudumbasree, Kerala State Backward Classes Development, Women & Child Development Department, Kerala State SC Development Department, Department of Finance, Department of Information Technology, Department of Fisheries, Kerala State Animal Husbandry Department, other department, agencies, PSUs and banks. The efforts for coordinating these activities and to streamline the process of service facilitation will be undertaken as part of the initiative.

    -Meeting under the chairmanship of hon’ble Minister, Industries and Chief Secretary, GoK. (02/12/21).

    -Initial presentation to the hon’ble Chief Minister on 30/12/2021

     

  • January 2022- Convergence Meetings +

    Hon’ble Chief Minister had directed to present the scheme concept to the various line departments, agencies, PSUs, industrial associations, and financial institutions to converge the activities of these entities to realize the scheme objectives. The detailed scheme outlinesand the broad strategy envisaged were presented by the Directorate of Industries and Commerce. Hon’ble Minister for Industries emphasized the importance of converging the activities of various stakeholders in the development of a sustainable industrial ecosystem and requested the support of all stakeholders for successful implementation of the Scheme.

    The meetings explored the potential areas of convergence of activities and its modalities. The strategy put forward by Industries Department for One Lakh Enterprises in One Year was prima facia accepted by the stakeholder representatives and decided to form a Core Committee for incorporating the suggestions and comments discussed in the meetings and to prepare a comprehensive Action Plan for scheme implementation.

    Meeting with representatives of Department of Local Self Government and Department of Co-operation held on 04/01/22

    Under the chairmanship of Hon’ble Minister, Industries& Commerce,in the presence of Hon’ble Minister, LSGD, Rural Development & Excise and attended by Additional Chief SecretaryLSGD, Principal SecretariesIndustries Department, SecretaryCooperative Department, SecretaryLSGD, Director Industries and Commerce, Directors of Urban Affairs, Panchayats, Kudumbasree, representatives of KSIDC, KINFRAand K-BIP

    Key suggestions & action points:

    • => To formulate a technical checklist for the license application of the MSMEs
    • => As part of the Registration drive, all MSMEs in the State to be given registration (including Geo tagging)
    • => To reward the LSGD which supports to setup the highest number of MSMEs
    • => To provide specialized training to the Interns with the help of professionals from various fields
    • => Establish a framework for ensuring the quality of the MSME goods developed under the “Make in Kerala” and provide Kerala branding for them
    • => To establish a platform for the marketing of MSME goods
    • => To incorporate the suggestions proposed by the Committee established to study the redundant laws and regulations in MSME sector
    • => Make available the unutilized land and buildings available with the local bodies for industrial purposes
    • => Expedite the process of issuing panchayat license other than KSWIFT license
    • => Adopt a product/ set of products under the OLOP Scheme

     Meetings with representatives of Public Sector Undertaking (PSU), Industrial Associations and Management Associations held on 07/01/22

    Under the chairmanship of Hon’ble Minister, Industries& Commerce in the presence of Director, Industries and Commerce, Managing DirectorKSIDC, Managing DirectorKINFRA, Chief Executive OfficerK-BIPand member representatives from FICCI, CII, TIE, KSSIA, KMA, ICAI and NIPM.

    Key suggestions & action points:

    • => Instructions to be given to all PSUs to give preference to the MSMEs in their procurement policy
    • => To include professionals in the Director Board of Public sector undertaking bodies
    • => Industrial estate policy to be launched soon
    • => To establish MSME Clinics for supporting sick MSMEs by providing relief measures for their revival
    • => To fix targets in all sectors for supporting the 1 Lakh MSME scheme
    • => To give importance to women entrepreneurs
    • => To support the One District One Help Desk initiative
    • => To start private industrial parks
    • => To implement Land Allotment Policy

     Meeting with Presidents and Secretaries of all local bodies and Presidents of all Cooperative Banks held on 12/01/22

    Under the chairmanship of Hon’ble Minister, Industries& Commercein the presence of Hon’ble Minister for Cooperation,Additional Chief SecretaryIndustriesDepartment, SecretaryCooperative Department, DirectorIndustries & Commerce, Presidents and Secretaries of all local bodiesand Presidents of Cooperative Banks.

    Key suggestions & action points:

    • => Cooperative organizations to be open to setting up of Private Industrial parks
    • => Cooperative Banks to provide loans according to PMEGP, ESS schemes, to the businesses promoted by Industries Department
    • => Government to decide on providing subsidies on the Loans given by the Cooperative banks
    • => To consider subsidies while providing loans to Cooperative groups
    • => To form a Consortium of Organizations having high financial stability for provision of loans
    • => To identify marketing opportunities for the end products during the inception stage of business
    • => To implement Branding of Value-added products and e-commerce marketing using Digital University

     Meeting with representatives of Trade Unions held on 17/01/22

    Under the chairmanship of Hon’ble Minister, Industries& Commerce was held in the presence of Director, Industries & Commerce Department, Managing DirectorKSIDC, Managing DirectorKINFRA, CEO K-BIP and the representatives of CITU, INTUC, BMS, AITUC, UTUC, TUCC, HMS, AIUTUC, SEWA, STU

    Key suggestions & action points:

    • => Industries Department and Labour Department to work together to create a strong background for the MSMEs
    • => To implement labour laws effectively
    • => Trade Unions to provide support to MSMEs
    • => To ensure minimum wage in the units developed
    • => To ensure the Workers allowances at the inception stage of the enterprise
    • => To implement an Income Support Scheme for supporting the Enterprises.
    • => To create supervisory committee including the Trade union members
    • => Government to form initiatives along with the Engineering colleges and Industries Department for encouraging entrepreneurship amongst the students.
    • => To encourage the export sector, export-quality/handicraft products and increase production of local products with export potential
    • => To explore the possibilities of Multilevel marketing

     Meeting with NORKA held on 19/01/22

    Under the chairmanship of Hon’ble Minister, Industries & Commerce was held in the presence of Director, Industries & Commerce Department and NORKA representatives.

    Key suggestions & action points:

    • => Conduct 14 district wise General Orientation Trainings jointly by NORKA and Industries Department
    • => To encourage small scale industries owned by NRI investors
    • => To create Capital fund for the businesses from non-Malayalee NRIs. To collaborate Banks, Private financial agencies and others for facilitating the same
    • Meeting with State Level Bankers Committee (SLBC)held on 20/01/22

     Meeting with Ministersfor Fisheries, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Tourismdepartments held on 24/01/22

    Under the chairmanship of Hon’ble Minister, Industries& Commerce in the presence of Hon’ble Minister for Fisheries, Hon’ble Minister for Agriculture, Hon’ble Minister for Animal Husbandry, Hon’ble Minister for Tourism, Additional Chief SecretaryIndustries Department, Additional Chief SecretaryTourism Department, Principal SecretaryAgriculture Department, SecretaryAgriculture Department, SecretaryAnimal Husbandry Department, SecretaryFisheries Department,DirectorIndustries & Commerce, Managing DirectorKSIDC, Managing DirectorKINFRAand CEO K-BIP

    Key suggestions & action points:

    • => Plan to create 5 lakh job opportunities under the collaboration of various agencies viz. Coastal Area Development Corporation, Matsyafed, Kerala Aqua Ventures International Limited (KAVIL), Society for Assistance to Fisherwomen (SAF) and Agency for Development of Aquaculture (ADAC) is being undertaken by the Fisheries Department. Industries Department and Fisheries Department to converge their schemes for efficient functioning of these projects.
    • => Marketing of value-added products produced to be ensured by concerned departments and Industries department to coordinate the same
    • => To explore the possibility of providing loans at 4% interest rate
    • => Industries Department to support Micro units operating in the field of Responsible Tourism
    • => Industries Department to provide support in Destination development projects
    • => Tourism Business Facilitation Centers to be established by the Tourism Department for promoting various schemes under them and attract the investors
    • => To expedite the licensing process for the units to be started in the fields of Animal Husbandry and Dairy
    • => To develop more MSMEs in the storage, management, and marketing of Dairy products.
    • => To provide preference to industries involved in the production of Organic goods
    • => To devise schemes for linking the industries in the field of Agriculture with the Tourism Department

     

  • February 2022- Scheme Funding +

    The refined scheme implementation strategy based on inputs and ideas generated from the convergence meetings was presented to the Kerala State Planning Board, the Principal Secretary Industries and the Chief Secretary. The proposal for plan fund allocation for the scheme was submitted to the government and the same was approved.INR 45.6 Crores were earmarked for the scheme under the State’s Annual Budget for FY 2022-23. (Budget document-Click to download)

    Appointment of Interns

    Applications were invited to the post of Interns to be posted at local bodies. The recruitment process was undertaken through Centre for Management Development (CMD), Kerala.

    Meeting with Secretaries of linedepartments held on 24/02/22

    Under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary, GoKfor evaluating on the progress on the activities carried out for increasing the potential job opportunities in the State. Attended byAdditional Chief Secretaries of Revenue, Higher Education & Tourism and LSGD Departments, Principal Secretaries of Industries, Agriculture, Electronics, IT, Health, Family Welfare &Social JusticeDepartments, Secretaries of Fisheries&Animal Husbandry, Cooperation, Backward & SC/STCommunity Development Departmentsand RIAB

    Key suggestions & action points:

    • => Department of Industries to provide Open network Marketing for MSME goods
    • => NORKA and ODEPC to work together for recruitment of professionals to global work locations and to create a digital platform for facilitating the application process
    • => LSGDs to start home offices for facilitating Work from Home.
    • => LSGDs to implement measures to scale up the job opportunities created by Kudumbasree
    • => Every department to create schemes and action plans for generating more job opportunities according to the job potential in the respective fields

    Action plan template was prepared by DIC and circulated to all line departments. (Click to download)

  • March 2022- Statewide Launching of the scheme +

    Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri. Pinarayi Vijayan launched the One Lakh Enterprises in One Year project in the event held at Thiruvananthapuram. CM also stated that Kerala will observe the fiscal year 2022-23 as “Year of Enterprises” while inaugurating the initiative.

    Minister for Local Self-Government Institutions Shri. M.V. Govindan Master,unveiled the logo of the initiative. Shri. P. Rajeev, Minister for Industries,Law, and Coir who presided over the meeting said the campaign to launch one lakh MSMEs would be a joint effort of the various departments, agencies, PSUs, associations, and banks.

    Detailed handbook was published including thedistrict wise details of industrial potential regions/ sectors in different district, the process for various licenses and clearances, the schemes offered by various department and agencies, indicators for the selection of suitable schemes for a project, etc. Shri. V. N. Vasavan,Minister for Cooperation and Registrationreleased the handbook for the campaign.

    Consolidated Handbook Click to download
    Thiruvananthapuram Click to download
    Kollam Click to download
    Pathanamthitta Click to download
    Alappuzha Click to download
    Kottayam Click to download
    Idukki  Click to download
    Ernakulam Click to download
    Thrissur Click to download
    Palakkad Click to download
    Malappuram Click to download
    Kozhikode Click to download
    Wayanad Click to download
    Kannur Click to download
    Kasaragod Click to download

    The following committees for the monitoring of the scheme were formed vide GO. No. 289/2022/ID dated 30.03.2022:

    • => State Level Monitoring Committee chaired by the hon’ble Chief minister
    • => State Level Core Committee chaired by the Principal Secretary, Industries
    • => District Level Monitoring Committee chaired by the District Collector
    • => Local Body Level Monitoring Committeechaired by concerned President/Chairperson

    Meeting on Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC)held on 09/03/22

    A meeting was held under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretaryon 09/03/22,to discuss the initiatives of State Government in exploring synergies between the Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade’s (DPIIT) Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC). Based on the decisions taken, Directorate of Industries and Commerce prepared an action plan for leveraging the ONDC platform and improve the market access of Kerala MSMEs. The following activities were envisaged in the action plan:

    => Allotting a stall space for ONDC at the Vyapaar 2022 Expo                                                                                           
    => Seminar on ONDC at Vyapaar 2022 to introduce the concept of ONDC to the participating MSMEs                             
    => Workshop on ONDC to familiarize the domestic e-commerce players and service providers with the concept

     

  • April 2022– Appointment of Interns at the local bodies across the State +

    1153 professionally qualified interns were recruited through CMD and deployed at all local bodies. One intern in each Panchayat and one for every 20 wards in Municipality/ Corporation. The interns are given capacity building trainings in all aspects of industrial facilitation to provide awareness to entrepreneurs on the various services available, and to assist the entrepreneurs in aspects of application for licenses, subsidies, loans, etc. in coordination with various agencies and departments.The interns are assigned specific targets for identifying and registering new enterprises in their allotted local bodies. The coordination of the interns’ activities will be done through the Industrial Extension Officers in respective District Industries Centers/ Taluk Industries Centers.

    Sl.No. District
    		 No. of Interns Target
    1 Thiruvananthapuram 86 14,902
    2 Kollam 79 11,775
    3 Pathanamthitta 61 5,408
    4 Alappuzha 86 9,666
    5 Kottayam 84 8,834
    6 Idukki  56 5,007
    7 Ernakulam 113 14,610
    8 Thrissur 105 13,533
    9 Palakkad 103 12,721
    10 Malappuram 122 18,601
    11 Kozhikode 90 13,925
    12 Wayanad 29 3,687
    13 Kannur 94 11,366
    14 Kasaragod 45 5,965
      Total 1153 150,000

    Government of Kerala, in line with its vision to crate employment opportunities for the youth in the State and to enable private entities in developingindustrial estates, has announced the Private Industrial Estate Scheme 2022 (G.O. (Ms) No. 31/2022/ID dated 02.04.2022). As per the scheme, entities owning and possessing a minimum of 10 acres or more and desirous of developing Private Industrial Estates (PIE) can apply for Private Industrial Estate Developer permit at Directorate of Industries and Commerce (DIC). Such entities may be companies, co-operatives, charitable societies, or partnerships registered under the relevant statutes. A consortium of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) units may also apply for the permit. The scheme also covers the development of Standard Design Factories (SDF), for which the minimum extent of land is 5 acres.

    An online portal for processing the applications have been developed. As on 31st July 2020, 12 applications have been received for the Private Industrial Estate Developer permit.

    • Government Order on the Private Industrial Estate scheme issued (04/04/22) (Click to download)

  • May 2022– General Orientation Campaign +

    The statewide inauguration of the General Orientation Campaign was done by Shri. M.V. Govindan Master, Minister for Local Self-Government Institutions on 6th May 2022. Shri. P. Rajeev, Minister for Industries, Law, and Coir presided over the function.

    General Orientation Trainings were conducted in al the 1034 local bodies across the State in May and June 2022. The one-day sessions aimed at aspiring entrepreneurscomprised of 5 sessions in which the participants were given a brief overview about the services offered by various PSUs, the scope for entrepreneurship in manufacturing and service sector in each district, key licenses and permits required from concerned departments and agencies for starting an industry, Udyam and KSWIFT registrations, the ongoing schemes of various government departments for industrial promotion and facilitation, various sources of finance and the contact information of key resource persons at local body and district levels. The GOT also included sessions wherein successful entrepreneurs will interact with the participants sharing their experiences and clearing

    All the GOT participants were given copies of the handbook containing district wise details of industrial potential regions/ sectors, the processes for various licenses and clearances, the schemes offered by various department and agencies, indicators for the selection of suitable schemes for a project, etc. The program was well received by the participants who expressed that the comprehensive content in the sessions as well as the knowledge material were good value additions and suggested that refresher sessions may be conducted on a regular basis.

    Capacity Building Assignments to Interns

    As part of the capacity building exercise for the interns, the following assignments were given to the interns in May 2022 before commencing the field level activities:

    1. Familiarization of handbook Prepared for GOT

    2. Meeting the ward members of the local body to understand their expectations and meet officials responsible for implementing various projects in the local body to confirm convergence

    3. Visit an industry in the local body limits and meet the promoter to collect basic information of the unit and to understand the problems faced by them

    4. Familiarization of LSGI Plan implementation by attending Grama Sabha meetings, Working Group meetings and Vikasana Seminars conducted at the LSGIs and understanding the Project Preparation Activity of LSGI.

    5. Familiarization of banks, their products, processes, and personnel by visiting all the bank branches in respective local bodies and learning about the various assistance available for MSMEs and how to avail them.

    Online Portal and Dashboard for Scheme Monitoring

    An online portal “Year Of Enterprises” was developed for the scheme progress monitoring and enterprise data capture. The interns that are deployed at local bodies are given unique login access through which they will enter the details of the entrepreneurs that they have identified for starting business in the State. Through the comprehensive data collection form provided, the detailed profile of each entrepreneur and their enterprise are captured and collated through the online portal.The entire lifecycle of the enterprise from inception to establishment will be captured in the portal.

    The portal is also equipped with a dashboard facility with different levels of access controls to provide with the real-timestatus of the scheme.

    The portal has the functionality to generate various types for reports for the analysis of scheme performance and to monitor intern, local body, taluk, district level activities.

  • June 2022– MSME Day Celebration & Help Desk Launch +

    June 27th is celebrated as the International Day for MSMEs. In connection with this, the Industries Department had hosted several seminars, meetings, B2B meets, etc. to add fuel to the ongoing initiatives and schemes.

    • Meeting with Animal Husbandry and Dairy Departmentsheld on 10/06/22

    To discuss on the activities carried out by Animal Husbandry and Dairy Departments as a part of the One Lakh Enterprises scheme and to develop an action plan to ensure convergence of activities.

    Key suggestions & action points:

    • => To incorporate the details of the important schemes of these departments in the Handbook developed by Industries Department
    • => Ensure effective collaboration between the field level officers of these departments
    • => To encourage the production of value-added products by entrepreneurs and societies currently operating in Animal Husbandry and Dairy sector
    • => Industries Department to provide technical support for developing value added goods
    • => To support innovative ideas in the Services sector viz. ABC units, Pet breeding units, Pet food sales units, mobile veterinary units, milking of cows etc.

    Vyapar 2022

    Government’s three-day B2B Meet facilitating around 10,000 B2B meetings,was conducted from June 16 to 18, 2022. The key objective of Vyapar 2022 was to give an impetus to thepandemic-hit MSME units by providing the entrepreneurs a platform toshowcase their products, technological competence and skills before the industrial community. Besides buyers from top commercial establishments,representatives of all-India trade and commercial organizations, business consortiums, e-commerce executives, exporters and consumers converged at the conclave to make business deals.

    Presentation on “Policy Decisions/ Projects Facilitate Entrepreneurship” at Vyapar 2022 (17/06/22) (Download Presentation)

    • Meeting with State Level Bankers Committee (SLBC) held on 21/06/22

    Directorate of Industries and Commerce had organized the meeting for ensuring the support of the Commercial Banks for the One Lakh Enterprises Scheme by providing the necessary financial assistance to the entrepreneurs. The following support were required from the banking sector:

    Key suggestions & action points:

    • => Implementation of the 4% Loan Scheme designed by SLBC
    • => Time bound sanctioning and Disbursement of Loan applications
    • => Support for the Loan/Subsidy melas at local body level scheduled during July-August 2022.
    • => Collateral Free Loans to MSMEs

    In the occasion of International Day for MSMEs on 27th June 2022 a seminar on latest policies and schemes of the Industries Department was held at Mascot Hotel Trivandrum.Sri. P. Rajeeve, the Hon’ble Minister for Industries, Law and Coir inaugurated the programmed.

    The Seminar was presided over by the Principal Secretary, Industries and NORKA. Vice Chairman, Kerala State Planning Board, Director Industries and Commerce, Managing DirectorKSIDC, Managing DirectorKINFRA, ConvenorSLBC, State PresidentKSSIA, ChairmanCII Kerala, Co. ChairFICCI Kerala State Council and the Executive DirectorTiE Kerala were among the dignitaries who attended the sessions.The presentations in the seminar were done by KSIDC, KINFRA and DIC. Sessions on Industrial infrastructure, Employment generation, Facilitating MSMEs, Marketing Initiatives, Research & Data Analysis were the highlights of the seminar.

     Help Desks at Local Bodies

    The statewide inauguration of the Help Desks at local bodies was done by Shri. M.V. Govindan Master, Minister for Local Self-Government Institutions on 27th June 2022.

     

    The helpdesks are functional at the local bodies across the state on every Monday and Wednesday. Through the help desks, the public can avail the services of the interns posted at the local bodies in all industry/ enterprise related matters.

    - GO(Ms) No.1529/2022/ID dated 25.06.2022 on establishment of Help Desks at all LSGIs (Download GO)

    Guidelines for Appointment of Interns

    The Principal Directorate, LSGD issued a circular detailing the guidelines for the appointment of interns at local bodies. It describesthe following:

    1. Duties and responsibilities of theinterns
    2. Actions to be taken by the LSGDs
    3. Actions to be taken by the District level Committee

    Capacity building Assignments to Interns & Taluk Resource Person (TRPs)

    As part of the capacity building exercise for the interns, the following assignments were given to the interns in June 2022:

    1. Data collection of vacant land and building available with the Local Self Government Institutions to plan future projects in those locations
    2. Familiarization of the Revised LSGI Plan Guidelines
    3. Udyam Registration Drive: Understand the process of filing Udyam Registration and conduct a Special Udyam Registration drive to identify and register at least 10 MSMEs in Udyam portal
    4. Setting up of Help Desk at the local bodies

    The following assignments were given to the TRP in June 2022:

    1. Personality Development and MotivationTrainings
    2. Vyapar 2022: Each TRP to Interact with 5 sellers participating in Vyapar 2022 and prepare a brief profile

    General Orientation Trainings

    As of June 2022, the General Orientation Trainings were almost completed across the state and a total participation of 81896 was recorded.

    Sl.No. District
    		 No. of Local Bodies
    		 No. of GOT completed No. of Participants Completion %
    1 Thiruvananthapuram 78 84 7629 100
    2 Kollam 73 78 7770 100
    3 Pathanamthitta 57 64 6324 100
    4 Alappuzha 78 86 7643 100
    5 Kottayam 77 83 4669 100
    6 Idukki  54 53 3385 98
    7 Ernakulam 96 107 4924 100
    8 Thrissur 94 101 6217 100
    9 Palakkad 95 100 5921 100
    10 Malappuram 106 147 9852 100
    11 Kozhikode 78 90 6740 100
    12 Wayanad 26 29 2088 100
    13 Kannur 81 96 7502 100
    14 Kasaragod 41 41 4300 100
      Total 1034 1159 84964 99.87

    Status of General Orientation Trainings as of 30.06.2022

    Training Videos

    As part of the General Orientation Campaigns, the Industries Department has developed various training videos for entrepreneurs:

    • (Click to watch training video)
    • (Click to watch training video)

  • July 2022– Launch of Special Loan Scheme to MSMEs & Loan Mela +

    Kerala Enterprises Loan Scheme - Special Loan Scheme to MSMEs

    As part of the One Lakh Enterprises in One Year scheme, with the objective of providing affordable financial assistance to new enterprises, the Industries Department had taken the initiative to roll out a Special Loan Scheme in coordination with the State Level Banker Committee (SLBC).

    Under the scheme,MSME units that are established after 01.04.2022 (evidenced through Udyam Registration) will be provided term loans and working capital loans at an effective interest rate of 4% after interest subvention from the Government. The interest subvention will be provided for the first five-year loan period or the loan closure whichever is earlier.Any enterprisethat is into non-farm income generating activity such as manufacturing, processing, trading, or service sector can apply for the loan through an online portal.

    The statewide inauguration of the Special Loan Scheme to MSMEs was done by Hon’ble Minister for Industries, Coir and Law Shri. P. Rajeev on 22.07.2022. The Minister also announced the launch of the loan camps that will be conducted at all local bodies across the state.

    Download note on SLBC Approved Special Loan Scheme to MSME sector (01/07/22)

    One Local Body One Product (OLOP) scheme

    In line with the broader strategy adopted for the One Lakh Enterprises Scheme, the Department of Industries and Department of Local Self Government have jointly undertaken a scheme called One Local Body One Product (OLOP) scheme. As part of the scheme,a detailed list of products based on the availability of resources at each local self-government level has been prepared through a feasibility study conducted by the District Industries Centers at each district.

    Kerala being a land rich with various natural resources, the structured production and marketing of products identified under the OLOP scheme,will aid in identifying global markets for those products and its success will ensure a fair price for farm products and significant returns to farmers and entrepreneurs who are engaged in the value addition of products.

    Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC)

    A workshop on Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) was organized by the Directorate of Industries and Commerce on 21st July 2022. The workshop was inaugurated by Dr. V.P Joy IAS, Chief Secretary, Government of Kerala and was presided by Sri. Suman Billa IAS, Principal Secretary, Industries and NORKA.

    Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) is an initiative aiming at promoting open networks for all aspects of exchange of goods and services over digital or electronic networks. ONDC is to be based on open-sourced methodology, using open specifications and open network protocols independent of any specific platform.

    The workshop was led by Mr. Thampy Koshy, Chief Executive OfficerONDC, Mr. Shireesh Joshi, Chief Business Officer ONDC and Dhruv Mangal, Network ExpansionONDC. The working of the ONDC network was explained in detail and the working of the network was demonstrated.

     

    The participants were given the opportunity to interact with the ONDC team and their partners. The workshop was attended by public and private entities with e-commerce platforms attended the workshop.Networking session between participants of the session and existing ONDC sellers were also part of the workshop.

    Capacity Building Assignments to Interns & Taluk Resource Person (TRPs)

    As part of the capacity building exercise for the interns, the following assignments were given to the interns in July 2022:

    1. Familiarize the list of products identified under the One Local Body One Product (OLOP) scheme
    2. To conduct a survey of enterprises in Non MSME category in the concerned LSGI
    3. Survey of Industrial Co-operative Societies to obtain data on the ones that are not functioning and their unutilized infrastructure to prepare future plans

    The following assignments were given to the TRP in July 2022:

    1. Industrial Visit at any
    2. Industries in their Taluk in two different sectors to collect basic information of the unit and understand the problems faced by industry

     

  • August 2022– Loan, License, Subsidy Mela +

    Loan, License, Subsidy Melas at Local Bodies

    The campaign for loan, license, subsidy facilitation was carried out at local body level. The object of the campaign is to streamline and fast-track the applications for loans, licenses, and subsidies and to ensure timely processing and sanctions. As part of the loan mela, a preemptive awareness drive on the various loans and subsidy schemes were done by the interns at local body level to attract maximum number of applications.

    At the loan mela, the representatives of the banks and various departments participated who addressed and clarified the various issues and doubts raised by the participants. UDYAM and KSWIFT drive were also conducted as part of the loan mela.

    As of 31st August 2022, loan applications worth Rs. 14.3 Crore and 2096 license applications have been approved. Number of subsidy application processes have crossed 1194.

     Status of Loan Mela as of 31.08.2022

    Milestone achievement of establishing 50,000 Enterprises in the State within 145 days

    Hon’ble Minister for Industries, Law and Coir announced on 26th August the milestone achievement of registering 50,000 new enterprises in Kerala as part of the One Lakh Enterprises initiative of the Government.

    The achievement of registering 50,000 new enterprises was achieved in a remarkable timeframe of 145 days. Investment worth Rs. 2970 Crores and 1,10,185 new jobs have been created in the State as a result. Malappuram tops the list in the number of units (5743) followed by Ernakulam (5282). More than 4000 units have registered in Thiruvananthapuram, Palakkad, Kollam, Thrissur, and Kozhikode districts. Kasaragod, Wayanad and Idukki districts combined have registrations over 4000 units and created more than 8000 jobs.

    One third of the newly formed enterprises (16038 units) are promoted by women entrepreneurs. 2300 new enterprises promoted by SC/ST entrepreneurs are also among the 50,000.

    The top sectors in which new enterprises have formed are as follows:

    No. Top sectors New enterprises Investment(Rs. Crore) Jobs created
    1 Agro& Food processing  7,500  400  19,500
    2 Garments & Textiles  5,800  250  12,000
    3 Electrical & Electronics  2,100  120  3,900
    4 Service activities 4,300   270  9,900
    5 Trade Activities 17,000  980  32,000

  • September 2022- Sustainability Planning +

    Interactive workshop for the officers of Industries Department

    A full-day interactive workshop was held on 14th September 2022 at Uday Palace Convention Centre, Thiruvananthapuram for all the officers of the Industries Departmentwhich focused on the review of the Industry Extension Officers and Assistant District Industries Officers involved in the implementationof the various policies and schemes of the Department. The workshop was inaugurated by Hon’ble Minister for Industries, Law & Coir Shri. P. Rajeev.

    Shri Harikishore IAS, Director, Directorate of Industries and Commerce delivered the presidential note in which the Director emphasized on the significance of developing Leadership qualities within oneself for achieving the goals or target.

    The officials from all the 14 District Industries Centres were given the opportunity to present their best ideas on the topic “Sustainability of existing and new MSMEs”. The Head of Departments of all the sections of the Directorate of Industries and Commerce viz. Infrastructure Development Information Technology, Technical Consultancy, Monitoring and Evaluation, Handloom &Cooperatives, Finance and Administration presented their review on the feedbacks received from IEOs and ADIOs.

    Loan, License, Subsidy Melas at Local Bodies

    The campaign for loan, license, subsidy facilitation continued in September 2022. The campaign aided in fast tracking the processing of loan, license, and subsidy applications at the local body level. It also offered an opportunity for the public to interact directly with the officials of banks and various departments for clarifying their doubts regarding the different schemes and financial products.

    As of 30thSeptember2022, loan applications worth Rs. 191 Crore and 2997 license applications have been approved. Number of subsidy application processes have crossed 1670.

    Status of Loan Mela as of 30.09.2022

    One Lakh Enterprises progress review meeting held by Chief Secretary on 23/09/22

    A meeting was held by the Chief Secretary for Government of Kerala to review the progress of the activities undertaken as part of the Year of Enterprises 2022-23 initiative to set up one lakh enterprises in the State. The meeting had in attendance the Chief Secretary, Government of Kerala, Additional Chief Secretary, LSGD, Principal Secretary, Industries & NORKA, Directorand officials of Industries and Commerce Department. The meeting reviewed the progress of the One Lakh Enterprises Initiative and discussed the way forward for the initiative including convergence from line departments and the actions required for ensuring the sustainability of new enterprises established as part of the initiative. Director DIC presented the scheme progress and the details of systems established as part of the initiative, the status and results of various campaigns conducted so far, and the campaigns planned for the next phase. A detailed action plan for improving the inter-departmental convergence and to also the measures for ensuring the sustainability of new enterprises were discussed.

    Key suggestions & action points:

    => Inter-departmental convergence to be ensured through increased cooperation among departments including sharing necessary data/ information for the smooth implementation of schemes and development of industry in the State

    => A unique Kerala Brand to be developed under which the MSME products will be marketed. Implement necessary measures to increase the awareness about this brand and its importance among the consumers. Traders/sellers in the State should be encouraged to give preference to Kerala Brand products.

    => To conduct department level/ sectoral or thematic workshops in all taluks for starting enterprises

    => Identify potential products that can be produced in Kerala to increase import substitution and develop a strategy for improving the production of such products

    => Establish a mechanism for screening the new project proposals that are identified as part of the initiative to assess the potential for success of projects and attempt to bring down the failure rate among new enterprises

    => Procurement by Government departments, PSUs and agencies to give preference to MSMEs from the State

  • October 2022- Capacity Building & Sectoral Approach +

    Digital University Certification course on Small Business Management for the Interns

    The inaugural session of the Post Graduate certificate programme for the Interns conducted by the Digital University Kerala (DUK) was held at the CDAC Centre, Technopark on 21st October 2022. The class was inaugurated by Hon’ble Minister for Industries, Law & Coir Shri. P. Rajeeve, Dr. Suman Billa IAS, Principal Secretary, Industries and NORKA delivered the presidential note in which he emphasized on the significance of the course which was designed to support the overall development of managerial capabilities of the interns and advised the participants to make the most out of the upcoming sessions.

    The first batch of the Interns comprising 280 participants attended the Inaugural session which took place for two days on the topic “Knowing your entrepreneurial self for sustainability”. Several interactive sessions, seminars and expert talks were conducted as part of the two-day workshop, which marked the beginning of the 8-month long certification programme. The entire course included 228 hours of learning split into 36 hours of offline and 192 hours of online sessions.

    Loan, License, Subsidy Melas at Local Bodies

    The campaign for loan, license, subsidy facilitation which was planned as part of the second phase of the One Lakh Enterprises initiative, was closed in October 2022. The campaign aided in fast tracking the processing of loan, license, and subsidy applications at the local body level. It also offered an opportunity for the public to interact directly with the officials of banks and various departments for clarifying their doubts regarding the different schemes and financial products.

    As of 31 st October 2022, loan applications worth Rs. 297 Crore and 4919 license applications have been approved. Number of subsidy application processes have crossed 1059.

     Marketing Trade Fairs at Taluks

    As part of the next phase of the One Lakh enterprises initiative, marketing campaigns areplanned to be conducted during October – November ’22. As part of this, Marketing Trade fairs are conducted at revenue taluks as well as Urban local bodies in the State. The campaign aims at providing an opportunity for the newly established enterprises to attain enhancing exposure & visibility for their products and services in regional markets, facilitate trade deals, and encouraging partnerships. The campaign shall also facilitate in linking the enterprises with popular e-commerce platforms.

    Taluk-wise PMFME workshops

    To achieve the ambitious target of commencing 1 Lakh Enterprises within the FY‘23, the department of Industries and Commerce has formulated various activities for ensuring theconvergence with other departments which would help in achieving the target of the initiative. In view of this, the initial step was taken towards bringing the sectoral approach by conducting workshops for existing/ potential entrepreneurs for promoting the Prime Ministers Formulization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises Scheme (PMFME). These workshops were carried out at the Industrial Taluks or District Industries Centres wherein the potential entrepreneurs were educated about the grant assistance offered under this scheme and the benefits which could be availed by them after opting for this scheme. The department aims to achieve the target set by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) by March 2023. Therefore, this campaign which aims at providing information to the newly established/ potential enterprises in the Food processing sector on the benefits of the scheme for setting up or expanding their businesses in regional or even domestic markets, is found to be very effective step contributing towards the sectoral approach.

  • November 2022– Promoting Innovative Business Ideas +

    Dreamvestor

    The Department of Industries and Commerce launched an initiative named “DREAMVESTOR” to provide opportunity for aspiring entrepreneurs to pitch their unique business ideas and explore the opportunities in the growing business world. The launch event was held on 24th November at the Mascot Hotel in the esteemed presence of the Hon’ble Minister for Industries, Law & Coir Shri. P. Rajeeve.The Principal Secretary, Industries Shri. A.P.M Mohammed Haneesh IAS and Director, Directorate of Industries and Commerce, Shri Harikishore S IAS were also present at the event.

    Hon’ble Minister said that the initiative was designed with the aim to help entrepreneurs between the age of 18-35 to build better connections for their business endeavors and open new doors to the investment world. During the event, the Director briefed about the procedure for submitting the application through online portal and mentioned that the aim of this program was to promote new talents who have unique and innovative business ideas. The game has 4 levels in total and the ideas which reach the final stages will be granted financial rewards upto Rs. 5 lakhs.

    Level 1: All contestants are required to submit their innovative business ideas by 23rd December 2022, to be considered for Dreamvestor’s first round.

    Level 2: The selected 100 entries should send pitch elevator videos about their business plan that do not exceed more than 2 minutes. Last date to upload this is on 30th January 2023.

    Level 3: Their will be 50 contestants chosen for the third round of Dreamvestor. The chosen participants at this round must outline their marketing plans for the business plan by 12th February 2023.

    Level 4: 20 finalists will be presenting their business plan to the jury members of Dreamvestor offline on 1st March 2023.

    The reward for the 1st prize winner shall be Rs. 5 lakhs, 2nd prize winner shall be Rs. 3 lakhs and the 3rd prize winner shall be Rs. 2 lakhs. The next 7 finalists and the remaining 10 finalists shall be receiving a prize money of Rs. 1 lakh and Rs. 25,000 each respectively.

    Marketing Trade Fairs at Taluks& Urban Local bodies

    As part of the next phase of the One Lakh enterprises initiative, marketing campaigns were conducted at 18District/Taluk/ Urban Local body levels in the State. The campaign aims at providing an opportunity for the newly established enterprises to attain enhancing exposure & visibility for their products and services in regional markets, facilitate trade deals, and encouraging partnerships. The campaign shall also facilitate in linking the enterprises with popular e-commerce platforms.

    Prime Ministers Formulization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises Scheme (PMFME)

    As part of bringing sectoral approach in the One Lakh MSME initiative, workshops were conducted for existing/ potential entrepreneurs for promoting the Prime Ministers Formulization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises Scheme (PMFME). These workshops were carried out at the Industrial Taluks or District Industries Centres wherein the potential entrepreneurs were educated about the grant assistance offered under this scheme and the benefits which could be availed by them after opting for this scheme. The department aims to achieve the target set by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) by March 2023. As of 30th November, 70 workshops have been conducted across the State with an overall participation of 4080 people.536 loan applications have been submitted under this scheme, which is around 28% of the total target of 1933 applications. Out of the submitted applications, 151 loans have been already sanctioned.

  • December 2022– One Lakh Milestone Achievement +

    One Lakh Milestone Achievement

          Hon’ble Minister for Industries, Law, and Coir announced on 08th December 2022, the milestone achievement of registering 1,00,000 new enterprises in Kerala as part of the Year of Enterprises Initiative of the Government. The Financial Year 2022-23 is observed as the Year of Enterprises. The Industries Department has undertaken a slew of activities for promoting new enterprises in the State. The proud achievement of one lakh new enterprises has been achieved in a period of 250 days from April 1 to December 7, 2022. As part of this, an investment of Rs 6274 crore and 2,20,285 new employment opportunities were created in the state.

             Ernakulam district leads in terms of the number of enterprises, investment, and employment opportunities. Malappuram and Thrissur districts bagged the second and third positions. More than 9000 enterprises have been started in Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram districts. 13000 units have been started in the industrially backward districts of Pathanamthitta, Kasaragod, Wayanad, and Idukki and more than 28000 jobs have been created. One-third (31,785) of the newly started enterprises are owned by women entrepreneurs. One lakh also includes 4678 new ventures promoted by entrepreneurs belonging to Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes.

    Sl.no. Top sectors New enterprises Investment (Rs. Crore) Jobs created
    1. Argo & Food processing 18196 1082 45382
    2. Garments & Textiles 11770 515 24261
    3. Service activities 7932 475 18030
    4. Electrical & Electronics 4404 262 8117
    5. Trade Activities 31925 1846 58734

     

    Enterprise Call Center launch

    The Department of Industries and Commerce started a facility for entrepreneurs to report their concerns and complaints related to their enterprises to the authorities. The Enterprise Call center system was inaugurated on 22ndDecember 2022, by Shri. P Rajeeve, Hon’ble Minister for Industries, Law, and Coir at the Minister’s Office at the Kerala Government Secretariat. Entrepreneurs can send their complaints/queries as a message to the WhatsApp contact number 9846441445 to the State Call Center. Steps will then be taken to address this issue through a system consisting of district-level resource persons and officials from the industries department, the Minister said after inaugurating the event.

    A maximum time limit of 7 days has been set for resolving complaints and giving appropriate replies to the entrepreneurs. The Minister further added that the industries department is trying to reduce this time limit to 48 hours within a year. Messages can be sent to this number from 10 am to 5 pm on all working days. Principal Secretaries of Industries Department Shri. Suman Billa IAS and Shri. A.P.N. Muhammed Haneesh IAS, Director, Department of Industries and Commerce Shri. Harikishore IAS was also present at the event. 

    PM Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises Scheme: 2ndReview

    The Second Review Meeting of the PMFME Scheme chaired by the Director (Industries & Commerce) was held from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on December 8, 2022 (Thursday) at Galaxie Hall, Hotel Horizon, Aristo Junction, Thiruvananthapuram. All the concerned District Nodal Officers (DNOs) and District Resource Persons (DRPs) from all the districts attended the review meeting. As part of improving the performance under the PM FME Scheme and to bridge the gaps, the Department of Industries & Commerce, Government of Kerala is closely following up with the DNOs and DRPs to aid the process of achieving the said target for the State under the PM FME Scheme.

  • January 2023- Samrambhaka Mahasangamam +

    Samrambhaka Mahasangamam

    As part of celebrating the success of Year of Enterprises initiative, the Department of Industries and Commerce organized Samrambhaka Mahasangamam (Entrepreneur’s Summit) at theJawaharlal Nehru International Stadium Ground in Kochi on Saturday, January 21, 2023.The Grand conclave was attended by more than 10,000 people, in which more than 8000 new entrepreneurs who have established enterprisesin the state during the current Financial Year were present.

    “Kerala clocking 1,24,249 enterprises within the first 10 months of the current fiscal is a clear indication of the state’s unprecedented surge in the secondary sector”, said the Hon’ble Chief Minister, Shri Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurating the Mahasangamam, which was chaired by the Hon’ble Minister for Industries, Law & Coir, Shri P Rajeeve. Hon’ble Minister Rajeeve described the ‘Samrambhaka Mahasangamam’ as the start of Kerala figuring in the country’s first ten industry-friendly states. “Initiating the ‘Year of Enterprises’ project, the government made coordinated efforts from the grassroots by involving 450 local bodies and hosting 15 meetings while also taking the trade unions into confidence. We got 1,24,249 enterprises registered till date, within 245 days. This translates into investment totaling Rs 7,533.12 Crore. 2,67,823 jobs were generated, of whom 38 percent were women”, revealed the Minister. A booklet brought out by the Industries Department on the scope for scaling up new enterprises was handed over to the Hon’ble Minister for Revenue, Shri K Rajan. Shri V.P Joy IAS, Chief Secretary Govt. of Kerala, Principal Secretaries Industries Shri APM Mohammed Haneesh IAS, and Shri Suman Billa IAS, Shri Harikishore IAS, Director (Industries & Commerce) and other elected Legislative Assembly representatives were also present at the half day-long event.

    75 Stalls of various Banks, PSUs, Government of India and State Government Institutions, R&D Institutions, e-Commerce platforms etc. operated at exhibition conducted as part of the event along with the department Stalls providing services for Consultancy, UDYAM, KSWIFT and GeM registrations. A theme pavilion by the Department of Industries and Commerce was alsohosted at the venue.

    Minister’s Meeting with District GMs

    At the event held at the Hilton Hotel in Thiruvananthapuram on January 4, 2023, the Hon'ble Minister for Industries, Law and Coir, Shri P Rajeev congratulated the entire team of Department of Industries & Commerce for assisting the new and existing entrepreneurs in the State andfor playing a major role in the success of this campaign which helped to create a conducive industrial environment (ecosystem) for the formation and growth of new ventures in the State. The Hon'ble Minister presented certificates of appreciation to the Director of Industries & Commerce Shri Harikishore IAS and to the General Managers of District Industries Centresfor achieving this prestigious goal.Shri. Suman Billa IAS, Principal Secretary, Industries also congratulated the officials of the Industries Department for their collective efforts and contributions towards the success of the campaign. 

    GI Conclave

    A Geographical Indication (GI) is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin. GI tag helps consumers to get quality products of desired traits and is assured of the authenticity. It also promotes economic prosperity of producers of GI goods by enhancing their demand in national and international markets.

    As part of encouraging products having GI in the state and to help them in improving their business and marketing techniques, several steps are being taken by the Directorate of Industries and Commerce.A “GI Conclave”was organized by the Directorate of Industries and Commerce at the Hotel Taj Vivanta in Thiruvananthapuram on January 11, 2023. Hon’ble Minister for Industries, Law & Coir, Shri P Rajeeve launched the online website developed to give access to all GI products of Kerala for marketing their products in a common space. The description with photo of the GI products and the details of the producers/ suppliers are available on the website. Hon’ble Minister also interacted with the participants in the event and assured the necessary support to their products. Shri Harikishore IAS, Director (Industries & Commerce) welcomed the gathering.Shri Suman Billa IAS, Principal Secretary Industries gave the keynote address at the event.

    Producers of various GI products in the State attended the half-day event for promoting their products and for proposing their requirements/ suggestions on the support they expect from the Government for promoting their products. Two technical sessions were conducted to create awareness among the producers which would help them to improve their business. A facility to display the GI products was also arranged as part of the conclave.

    Pravasi General Orientation Training

    Pravasi General Orientation Training Programme was organized on January 12, 2023, for Non‑Resident Keralites (NRK) to sensitize them on the various areas of entrepreneurship potentials in Kerala and to encourage them in starting enterprises in the State. Shri Suman Billa IAS, Principal Secretary Industries gave the welcome address for the programme. Hon'ble Minister for Industries, Law and Coir, Shri P Rajeev inaugurated the webinarwhich was held from 1 pm to 4 pm (Gulf Time).Hon’ble Minister in his inaugural speech mentioned about the success of the Year of Enterprises initiative and about the conducive Industrial ecosystem prevalent in the State. He assured necessary support toall the potential entrepreneurs to start their ventures in their homeland.

    Various schemes and policies of the Industries Department was presented by Shri Harikishore IAS, Director (Industries & Commerce).This was followed by sessions by the officials of the Industries Department on various services, licenses, subsidies, and financial assistances provided by the Department of Industries and Commerce. Participants also had the opportunity to ask queries related to their business ideas in the programme.

    PM Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises Scheme: 3rdReview

    The Third Review Meeting of the PMFME Scheme chaired by the Director (Industries & Commerce) was held from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on December 25, 2022 (Wednesday) at Hotel Residency, Thiruvananthapuram. All the concerned District Nodal Officers (DNOs) and District Resource Persons (DRPs) from all the districts attended the review meeting. As part of improving the performance under the PM FME Scheme and to bridge the gaps, the Department of Industries & Commerce, Government of Kerala is closely following up with the DNOs and DRPs to aid the process of achieving the said target for the State under the PM FME Scheme.

  • February 2023– Strategy Planning for FY24 +

    Plantation Directorate and Expo

    The Plantation Directorate is a newly established government body under the Directorate of Industries and Commerce in the State. It is responsible for the development, management, and regulation of the plantation sector, which includes crops like tea, coffee, rubber, cardamom, and pepper. The Plantation Directorate hosted the Plantation Expo from February 16 - 19, 2023, at the Sooryakanthi Exhibition Ground in Thiruvananthapuram. The website for the recently established Plantation Directorate of the Government of Kerala was unveiled during the opening event of the Plantation Expo, by Shri P. Rajeev, Hon’ble Minister for Law, Coir, and Industries.

    During the first couple of days, there were seminars on various plantation-related themes, by experts from around the nation. The four-day event also showcased a wide range of organic and value-added products, including leafy and powdered tea, home-ground coffee, and spices, aimed to promote sustainable and eco-friendly practices in the plantation industry. It was organized with the cooperation of registered plantations, cooperatives in the plantation sector, plantation-based businesses, distributors, equipment, and service providers. More than 100 stalls were allotted for the exhibitors to display their products. Visitors had the opportunity to choose from a variety of tea, including white, black, green, dust, and leafy, and purchase them at the wholesale price. There were also fresh items from plantations such as coffee powder, tea tree oil, and tea chocolate.

    Major Plantation Brands Viz. Kannan DevanCompany, Harrisons Malayalam, The Tropical Plantation, Malankara Plantations, Tyford Estate,Poabs Organic Green Tea, Jain Foods, Pullikkanam Estates, and PDS Organic Spices had set upstalls at the Expo. The event provided a platform for plantation-based businesses, cooperatives, anddistributors to showcase their offerings to a wider audience.

    Meeting with District GMs on Strategy Planning for FY24

    A meeting was held at the Residency Hotel in Thiruvananthapuram on February17, 2023, for discussing on the Strategy Plan to be implemented by the Industries Department during the financial year 2023-24. A4-member team from all the districts headed by the General Managers including the IEO, ADIO and other officials attended the Meeting, which was chaired by the Additional Director (Industries & Commerce). The Director, Industries& Commerce who addressed the gathering explained the importance of the initial strategy planning on the success of all the activities carried out as part of a campaign. Emphasis was given on the significance of the Strategy Meeting and requested the teams from all districts to brainstorm and present their best ideas and opinions towards the stated Strategy Plan.

    The major activities envisaged for the next financial year was presented by the Jt. Director (Industries & Commerce). The presentations were on the topics – Sustainability of Enterprises in the State, Scaling up of 1000 MSMEs and Year of Enterprises 2.0 Campaign.  After brainstorming session, each team presented their suggestions and shared the detailed report. In the end, Additional Director and Joint Director summarized all the received suggestions from the districts and assured to incorporate all valuable opinions in the Action Plan for the FY24.

    PM Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises Scheme: 4thReview

    The fourth Review Meeting of the PMFME Scheme chaired by the Additional Director (Industries & Commerce) was held from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on February23, 2023 (Thursday) at Hotel Residency, Thiruvananthapuram. All the concerned District Nodal Officers (DNOs) and District Resource Persons (DRPs) from all the districts attended the review meeting. As part of improving the performance under the PM FME Scheme and to bridge the gaps, the Department of Industries & Commerce, Government of Kerala is closely following up with the DNOs and DRPs to aid the process of achieving the said target for the State under the PM FME Scheme.

  • March 2023- Women Entrepreneurs Summit +

    Vanitha Samrambhaka Sangamam

    In a move to encourage women entrepreneurs in the State, the Department of Industries and Commerce organized a half-day long Women Entrepreneurs’ meet focusing on the current entrepreneurial friendly environment and policies offered by the State at the RDR Convention Center, Thiruvananthapuram on the International Women’s Day - March 08, 2023.

    Hon’ble Minister for Health and Women and Child Development Smt. Veena George inaugurated the event, which was presided over by the Hon’ble Minster for Industries, Law and Coir, Shri P Rajeeve. In the event, the Minister felicitated the women entrepreneurs who have made immense contributions in their respective fields. Several women-friendly policies were also announced by the government as part of the women’s day. Hon’ble Minister for Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development Smt. J Chinchurani inaugurated the promotional film of PMFME, the digital version of ‘VyavasayaKeralam' magazine and portals for ED club registration. Shri Suman Billa IAS, Principal Secretary Industries, Shri Harikishore S IAS, Director Industries were also present at the event.

    More than 43,000 women had started new ventures in the state as part of the Year of Entrepreneurs initiative. Over 500 women entrepreneurs from different parts of the state participated in the entrepreneurs’ meet. As part of the event, there were special sessions wherein the women entrepreneurs shared their journey and experiences, apart from the discussions and product display. Also, stalls highlighting various services for entrepreneurs were set up by the Directorate of Industries and Commerce, KSIDC, and K-bip at the event venue.