As the LDF Government in Kerala completes its second year in office, the Ministry of Industries & Commerce is celebrating two years of industrial growth in the state. The industrial sector saw some successful initiatives this year. The government’s policy of tie-ups with Central Public Sector Undertakings is paying off. The State public sector undertakings are on a comeback trail with 27 of the 42 public sector units earning profits in 2007 - 2008. The traditional sector also have seen a rejuvenation in this period and there has been a quantum jump in the performance of the Small Scale and Micro Enterprises. Overall the ministry has been successful in creating more job opportunities in the state.

Ever since the new government took charge in 2006, there has been a sea change in the attitude and approach of the Kerala Government towards big investors. The Ministry of Industries and Commerce under the able guidance of Shri. Elamaram Kareem has been successful in converting the state into a preferred destination. The investor friendly policies and initiatives have instilled confidence among Investors and Entrepreneurs. The pro-active Industrial and Commercial Policy of 2007 has started yielding results. The proposed investments from major industrial houses to set up projects in Kerala are in excess of Rs.10,000 crores. As this government enters its third year, we list out some of the achievements of the Ministry of Industries and Commerce.

• Integrated efforts to attract private investments
• Modernisation and expansion of Public Sector Undertakings
• InKel to develop infrastructure
• Stringent efforts to curb corruption
• Kerala Minerals and Materials Limited starts building the first of its kind, Titanium Sponge Plant. 
• Spices Park at Idduki
• Rubber Industries Park at Ranni in collaboration with the Rubber Board
• Malabar Spinning mill opened; Thiruvananthapuram Spinning Mill to be opened soon
• Mineral Sand mining to be done by the Public Sector only
• Prospects in the Handloom Sector brighten up with more job opportunities; Rebate arrears completely paid up
• Revival and diversification of Dinesh Beedi initiated
• Bamboo Corporation starts manufacturing Flattened Bamboo boards

The National Institute of Fashion Technology has opened a centre in Kannur, the land of Looms and Lores. The inauguration of the ninth NIFT Centre and the foundation stone for the proposed campus was laid by the Union Minister for Textiles, Shri Shanker Sinh Vaghela on April 19, 2008. NIFT would start two four-year B. Tech Degree courses in Textile Designing and Apparel Production from the academic year starting June 2008. The Union Textiles Ministry has funded the total cost of Rs.58.64 crores for this project.

The Kerala Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Steel Authority of Limited (SAIL) to revive the loss making Steel Complex Limited (SCL) at Kozhikode. The MoU was signed on May 03, 2008 in the presence of Union Steel Minister, Shri Ram Vilas Paswan and the Kerala Chief Minister Shri V S Achuthanandan in a function presided by State Industries Minister Shri Elamaram Kareem. Shri Paswan later laid the foundation stone for a rolling mill at the SCL, capable of producing 50,000 tonnes of steel per year. The Kerala Government and SAIL will have equal holdings in this joint venture with SAIL having the management control. This is part of a programme proposed by the Central Government for the revival of the ailing unit in the state.