About Investment Promotion Cell
The Directorate of Industries & Commerce (DI&C), Government of Kerala, has decided to establish Investment Promotion Cells (IPCs) within all District Industries Centres (DICs) across the State. This initiative is aimed at creating a localized, proactive, single-point facilitation hub within each district to inform, guide, and accelerate investment promotion for prospective entrepreneurs and existing enterprises.
The IPC is dedicated to informing entrepreneurs about government schemes, financial assistance, and industrial policies; assisting with statutory clearances, licenses, and grievance redressal; actively attracting domestic diaspora (NRK), and foreign investment to the district; and establishing continuous outreach and communication channels with local entrepreneurs.
Governance and Structure
State Level
The overall direction of investment promotion activities is provided by the Special Investment Promotion Task Force, constituted under G.O.(MS)No.57/2020/ID, with the Director of Industries and Commerce functioning as Member Secretary. The Task Force provides policy alignment, approves special incentive packages and fast-track clearance measures, and serves as the apex escalation point for district-level IPCs.
District Level
At the district level, the Single Window Clearance Board, chaired by the District Collector, functions as the principal district governance and approval body, processing investment proposals up to Rs. 15 Crore and ensuring inter-departmental coordination for statutory clearances. The General Manager (GM), District Industries Centre represents the IPC before the Board, escalates policy-level bottlenecks, and coordinates with the State-level Task Force on behalf of the district.
Services and Functions
| Platform / Module | Purpose / Features |
|---|---|
| Single Window Clearance Portal (K-SWIFT — kswift.kerala.gov.in) | Fast-track statutory acknowledgments and processing of clearances across 19 departments; instant acknowledgment certificates enabling MSMEs to operate for up to 3 years and 6 months without prior statutory approvals under state laws. |
| Grievance Redressal System | Fast-track statutory acknowledgments and processing of clearances across 19 departments; instant acknowledgment certificates enabling MSMEs to operate for up to 3 years and 6 months without prior statutory approvals under state laws. |
| Submitting application to avail various scheme benefits | Processing of application related schemes operated by Industries and Commerce Department and also implemented by DICs. |
| District and Panchayat WhatsApp Groups | Dissemination of scheme updates and local outreach. |
| E-Commerce & Digital Outlets (ONDC, GeM etc.) | Onboarding support for MSMEs onto digital marketplaces |