Kerala - Kochi   

Expectations high of new Government

K.A. Martin

Trade and industry plea to focus on infrastructure

KOCHI: The State's commercial capital has great expectations of the new Government even as the trade and industry are biding their time to meet the new Ministers to convey their hopes and anticipations of what might well be done to improve infrastructure, generate employment and create a transparent communication channel between the trade and industry block and the bureaucracy.

Balagopala Pai, president of the Indian Chamber of Commerce, said that he expected the Government to strengthen Kerala's image as an investor-friendly State. He also called for a peaceful labour atmosphere in the State so that investors would not be disappointed after coming to Kerala.

The need to generate employment and to build infrastructure could not be overemphasised. The new Government should pay attention to the problems faced by the exporters. A number of problems related to the implementation of the Value Added Tax regime had been resolved and that exporters were better off now getting their VAT refunds more quickly. At the same time, Mr. Pai said, the Government should make sure that the State got its due share from the Central allocations.

Government has to help sustain the growth levels in agriculture, industry and service so that there was employment generation, he said.

John K. Paul, president of the Kerala Chamber of Commerce, said that he expected the new Government to be friendly and to act as a facilitator. He also said that traders in the State expected the Government to be more communicative too.

Thomas Xavier Kondody, president of the Kerala State Small Industries Association, said that the small industry would appeal to the Government to give SSIs in the State a helping hand. He emphasised the need for restoring the exemption from making security and earnest money deposits while responding to tenders from State Government bodies.

He also said that harassment at the check-posts continued and that this issue too would be taken up with the new Government. The Association is planning to make a representation to the Government raising various issues.

The Confederation of Indian Industry, Kerala, plans to meet representatives of the new Government including the Chief Minister, Labour and Industries Ministers.

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