Change policies to promote industry, manufacturing: Kerala finance minister

We need to promote indigenous industry and indigenous knowledge and translate them into industrial production, says Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal

In an interview with Jayanth Jacob, Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal debunks the notion that the state has labour problems, stresses why welfare measures are important, and reiterates the “harm” goods and services tax has caused to the states. Edited excerpts:

The Kerala model of development has won acclaim for making laudable strides in public health and education. But it remains a consumer state, hugely dependent on remittances. You have been talking about the state becoming a producing state in the near future. What is the basis of your confidence?

Service sector plays a key role in the state’s