Thiruvananthapuram | The Keralam government plans to amend existing laws to speed up industrial approvals under its proposed 'One State, One Approval, One Document' system, Industries Minister P K Kunhalikutty said on Tuesday.
The government has given in-principle approval to the Simplified and Accelerated Regulatory Approvals and Licensing Scheme (SARK), aimed at reducing delays in obtaining clearances from various departments and agencies, he told the Assembly during Question Hour.
The proposed reforms include amendments to several existing laws, changes to existing rules and government orders, and revisions to land-use provisions and the incentive package for attracting investors, he said.
"The laws that stand in the way will have to be amended," Kunhalikutty said, adding that a policy decision had already been taken and the Cabinet would consider the amendments individually before bringing them in the Assembly.
The minister clarified that the proposed system would not bypass departmental scrutiny but would ensure that approvals were granted within a fixed time frame.
"These approvals will not bypass any department. They only have to be granted within a specified time," he said.
Explaining the proposed approval mechanism, Kunhalikutty said the district-level investment limit had been fixed at Rs 25 crore, while investments above Rs 50 crore would require approval at the state level from the Chief Secretary.
The government had discussed the time-bound approval system in detail in the Cabinet, he added.
Responding to concerns over possible environmental consequences, the minister said Keralam was sensitive to environmental issues and that existing procedures would continue to apply.
Detailed information on the procedures could be provided separately to the members concerned, he said.
The minister said Keralam's high human resource index, literacy rate, health and education indicators, good connectivity and social stability were factors favourable to attracting investments to the state.
However, high costs and delays in administrative procedures remained obstacles to attracting investments, he said.
To address these issues and ensure the maximum possible support for investors at every stage, the UDF government has set up a data-driven investment cell under the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) as part of its 100-day programme.
Through KSIDC and the Department of Information Technology, AI and Future Technologies, the state has received investment offers worth Rs 73,401 crore, he said.
Besides, the government was considering proposals for several projects, including logistics hubs, solar power, battery storage systems, and bauxite mining in Kasaragod, Kunhalikutty added.