KOCHI:
ASCEND 2019, an ambitious initiative of the Kerala government to position the state as an investment hotspot, will get off to a rousing start at Kochi on February 11 with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan releasing the ‘Invest Kerala Guide’ at the inaugural session of the event.
Union Minister of Commerce & Industries and Civil Aviation Suresh Prabhu will be the chief guest at the opening ceremony of the day-long conclave, starting at 9.50 am at Lulu Bolgatty International Convention Centre. Kerala Minister for Industries, Sports and Youth Affairs Shri E P Jayarajan will launch the “Invest Kerala Portal” on the occasion.
The meet will showcase Kerala as a top-notchinvestment destination, where entrepreneurs from India and abroad can set up a wide array of enterprises in a speedy and hassle-free manner with minimum of bureaucratic interventions. The conference, through presentations and panel discussions,will also present before captains of industry, administrators and policy-makersa raft of legislations and administrative reforms initiated by the government to enhance the Ease of Doing Business in the state.
In particular, the event will display two cutting edge software applications: K-SWIFT (Kerala Single Window Interface for Fast, Transparent Clearances) and IBPMS (Intelligent Building Plan Management System). KSWIFT, an online clearance mechanism, has been developed to simplify and speed up issuance of clearances from Departments / Agencies for launching enterprises in the state.
Sandip Somani, President, FICCI, and R. Dinesh, Chairman, CII-Southern Region, are among the industry honchos to be present at the inaugural session. Tom Jose, Chief Secretary, Govt. of Kerala, will welcome the gathering while Dr K Ellangovan, Principal Secretary, Industries, Commerce & NORKA, will give a presentation on “ASCEND Kerala 2019.” M.S.A. Kumar, President, TiE Kerala Chapter, will propose a vote of thanks.
As for the event’s business sessions, a plenary will be chaired by V.K. Ramachandran, Vice Chairman, Kerala State Planning Board. Dr Shekhar Shah, Director General, National Council for Applied Economic Research; Dushyant Thakur, Vice President, Invest India; Aardra Chandramouli, CEO, Aeka Biochemicals Pvt Ltd; and Sandith Thandasherry, CEO, NavAlt Solar and Electric Boats Pvt. Ltd, will talk on various topics.
Christy Fernandez, Chairman, KSIDC, will lead another plenary on“Opportunities in the MSME and Food Processing Sectors”. Ram Mohan Mishra, Addl Secretary & Development Commissioner; Minhaj Alam, Jt. Secretary (Food Processing); K.S. Srinivas, Chairman, MPEDA; and Dr M. Beena, Chairperson, Cochin Port Trust, will attend this session.
A session on “Ease of Doing Business-sharing of best practices” will be chaired by Shailendra Singh, Addl. Secretary, DIPP, which will have the presence of Devender Singh, Addl. Chief Secretary (Industries), Haryana; and Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary (Industries), Telangana.
Dr K Ellangovan will chair the session on “Kerala-Enabling a Congenial Industrial Ecosystem” in which K. Biju, Director, Directorate of Industries and Commerce, Kerala, will give a presentation.
Minister for Local Self Governments A.C. Moideen will deliver a special address for a session titled “Operationalising Ease of Doing Buisness through LSGIs”. He will also launch IBPMS. Dr Sharmila Mary Joseph, Secretary, Industries, and Managing Director, KSIDC will also attend the session.
E P Jayarajan will address the valedictory session in the presence of IAS officers,Dr K Ellangovan and Tom Jose. Online registration facility of delegates for ASCEND 2019 is available at www.ascendkerala2019.org.
