The budget presented by Dr. Thomas Isaac in the State Assembly on Friday can be described as disruptively innovative attempt to charter a roadmap for a sustainable economic growth of the state. The finance minister has made a bold attempt to move away from status quo and formulate a set of priorities that would go a long way in strengthening the strategic USPs of Kerala for the economic growth. Clean Kerala, farming, health care, education and environment are some of the defining areas of social life in Kerala and the stress placed on these areas in the budget will be a catalyst for the economic growth. These areas may not have a direct bearing on the economic activities per se.
But, their importance cannot be belittled as they play a crucial role in shaping the quality of the human resources, one of the most important assets of the state. The budget has rightly identified IT and Tourism as the areas of growth for the state. The unprecedented allocation for the marketing of tourism industry and a slew of other projects to develop the tourism infrastructure in the state reveals that the government has its focus on the right place. I am also happy that the present regime has realized the potential of leveraging Kochi Biennale for the promotion of tourism as well as entire Kerala as a unique cultural habitat. The decision to acquire five acres of land and Aspinwall House and Cabral Yard in Fort Kochi is clearly a welcome step.
The Muziriz Heritage project is another major milestone that could really rejuvenate the Kerala Tourism. The project has the potential to do Kerala Tourism what the Angkor Temple did for Cambodian Tourism. The decision to conserve Pathriamanal as an eco-reserve also deserves appreciation. The roadmap presented by finance minister to raising the necessary resources for the projects mentioned in the budget also shows an attempt to move away from the familiar path. The challenge, of course, is to implementation of these pronouncements.
(Author is MD and CEO, CGH Earth, as told to K.P. Sethunath)
