Kerala to conduct 2-day business meet from Feb 11

Good response from the private sector during last year's Global Investors' Meet has prompted the Kerala government to work on improving the perception value of the state in terms of labour-related issues.

As part of this, the state is holding a two-day 'Kerala Business to Business Meet 2004' in Kochi from February 11-13.

Announcing this in Chennai, top level officials from Kerala said over 350 sellers and 150 buyers from India and 12 other countries were expected to take part in the $6 million event.

K Mohandas, principal secretary, higher education and industries department, said, "In the post-WTO regime, small and medium enterprises (SME) have taken the biggest hit due to lack of financial muscle. Events like this are mainly organised to help the SME segment."

The government plans to showcase products from 10 industries like coir, handloom, handicrafts, processed food and spices, chemicals, machinery, electrical and electronics, ayurveda, wood-based products and rubber.

Officials admitted that a significant portion of the expression of interest (EOI) shown in last year's investors' meet came from the public sector units and not from private sector for whom the meet was held.

P H Kurian, managing director, Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC), said, "While it is a fact that private investment is not coming into the state, it is also a fact that labour problem is more of perception than a reality. In the last three years, shut down of factories due to labour problems has been insignificant."

He added that the state had also taken legislative measure to curb frequent industrial strikes.