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.

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: 4^thReview

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.

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: 3^rdReview

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.

One Lakh Milestone Achievement

      Hon’ble Minister for Industries, Law, and Coir announced on 08^th 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.

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 22^ndDecember 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: 2^ndReview

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.

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 24^th 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 23^rd 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 30^th 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 12^th February 2023.

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

The reward for the 1^st prize winner shall be Rs. 5 lakhs, 2^nd prize winner shall be Rs. 3 lakhs and the 3^rd 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 30^th 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.