Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 16 (IANS) The Kerala Cabinet on Wednesday approved the ‘Saral Keralam’ initiative aimed at cutting delays in investment clearances by creating a single mechanism to coordinate approvals across departments, with Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan saying as many as 19 laws would be amended to make the system investor-friendly.
Briefing the media after the weekly Cabinet meeting, CM Satheesan said the government’s objective was to have “one state, one approval and one body” for fresh investments and to minimise the hurdles faced by investors.
Proposals involving investments of Rs 25 crore to Rs 50 crore will be examined by a district-level body, while those above Rs 50 crore will be handled by a state-level body.
The Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) will coordinate the new mechanism.
CM Satheesan clarified that the existing departments would not be bypassed and would continue to discharge their responsibilities, but the process would be streamlined to avoid files remaining pending for years.
Some investment proposals, he said, had been pending for as long as seven years.
The Cabinet decision followed consultations with various departments, he said.
On the controversy surrounding the police search at the Reporter TV office on Wednesday morning in connection with the Messi-related fraud case, CM Satheesan said the channel’s functioning had not been stopped, noting that he had learnt about the police action through the channel itself.
He said the SIT had been constituted to investigate the Messi episode and that the court had permitted the police to proceed with the investigation.
The searches were part of that probe, he said.
Responding to Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan’s criticism of the police action, CM Satheesan recalled police action against Mangalam TV, Asianet and Marunadan during the previous government’s tenure, and said the present action was being carried out according to law.
On the power crisis, CM Satheesan said the immediate electricity shortage would be addressed within a week, while the government had begun work on a long-term power policy with particular emphasis on renewable energy.
Kerala would soon enter into power-purchase agreements from October until the next monsoon, he said.
He pointed to Karnataka’s renewable energy capacity, saying Kerala had not adequately tapped the sector and would examine the Karnataka model.
The CM also rejected claims that the Kerala State Electricity Board was being prepared for privatisation, calling the reports baseless.
The state is currently facing continued supply constraints and power cuts amid a wider shortage in the national grid.
CM Satheesan also said two NIA courts would be established in Kochi, with the Centre bearing the expenditure.
On the seizure of a dairy from the residence of former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s daughter, he said contradictory reports from the family had emerged on whether such a dairy existed and that the government had nothing to say on the issue.
Reacting to the extended CPI(M) state committee meeting, CM Satheesan said it was strange that the party’s Politburo had placed the responsibility for the Left’s electoral setback on state secretary M.V. Govindan and the people of Kerala.
On the dispute over questioning of PSC members by Crime Branch in the Planning Board examination case, CM Satheesan said no one was above the law and that PSC chairman and members had no special right to refuse to appear before investigators.
He said they would have to cooperate with the police investigation whenever called.
–IANS
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