With Kerala, often riled as an investor-unfriendly state, has chosen to disengage itself from its past on this count. It has scrapped more than 100 rules that made life cumbersome for entrepreneurs and ordinary citizens and replaced them with an online, time-bound process.
KOCHI: K-Swift is the magic wand the State government plans to wield to transform Kerala and to attain a coveted place in ease of doing business index and thereby change forever its dubious distinction being the most inhospitable terrain for investors. The desperate attempt for the image makeover is taking place under the stewardship of a political leadership, often blamed for the sorry state of investment climate in the state, may appear curious for those not attuned to the idea of times are changing in Kerala.
Kerala Single Window Interface for Fast and Transparent Clearances or K-Swift, formally launched in Kochi on Monday by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at ASCEND 2019 Kerala, an investment summit, promises to remove the physical touch points completely for gaining government approvals and clearances for investors. The system generated verification, approval and clearance process under the K-Swift will provide the investor the facility to attain 27 clearances from 14 government departments through an online process within 30 days.
Speaking after launching the project, the Chief Minister said K-SWIFT complements the theme of rebuilding of Kerala and stressed the need on the part of the officials to change their attitude towards entrepreneurs. In this context, he said the 30-day time limit, which is applicable from village to secretariat level, may be reduced to even 15 days in future. "You (officials) should not have the wrong belief that advent of industries means exploitation of people," he said.
"Kerala economy has been consumerist but not much of production is happening in the state. This has to be change," he said. "We have to develop medium and small businesses in the state. Through them, the government aims to provide jobs to around 50,000 people this year.”
The Chief Minister also launched an 'Invest Kerala Guide' brought out by the state government's department of industries and commerce.
Industries minister E.P. Jayarajan said ASCEND Kerala 2019 was part of the government's efforts to form an industry network in the state. Any delay responding to online applications would attract serious steps against the departments and officials concerned. The minister also promised that specific industrial parks will be set up in the private and public sectors. "In rural areas the area limit will be 25 acres while urban parks will have 15 acres," he said. The government will provide the same facilities of the public parks sector to private parks.
Mr Jayarajan revealed that around 36,000 MSME units have been established in the state in the last two-and-a-half years, generating 1.24 lakh jobs. He also launched the portal of 'Invest Kerala' that includes details about IBPMS (Intelligent Building Plan Management System).
K. Ellangovan, principal secretary, industries and commerce, said K-Swift has been devised on the principle that "system architecture will guide you".
The system has been developed after making substantial amendments in the existing rules and regulations numbering over 100 to launch the new software enabling speedy clearances, Dr Ellangovan said.
The investment proposals will be cleared in 30 days and in case of any delays the investor will be getting deemed clearance.
The organisers of ASCEND Kerala 2019 said K-SWIFT was “a cutting-edge software application that simplifies and speeded up approval of clearances from departments and agencies looking to launch enterprises in the State".
