Kerala tries hard to win over confidence of top industrialists

Kochi: With the much-publicised Global Investors'' Meet falling flat, the Kerala government is trying again to win over the confidence of India''s top industrialists.

With people like Mukesh Ambani, Capt Krishnan Nair, Rajan Mittal and T P G Nambiar assembling here in connection with the golden jubilee celebrations of Mata Amritanandamayi, the powers-that-be have managed to arrange a meeting with them to see whether they could be convinced about the potential of the state.

Kerala Industries and IT Minister P K Kunhalikutty will address the gathering today. The state chief secretary and other senior officials of the government will also take part in the event.

Among the points to be highlighted at the conclave are the state''s enabling infrastructure, proactive industry-friendly policy, ready availability of skilled human resource and cost-effectiveness vis-à-vis other investment destinations.

The officials note that Kerala has been ranked as the No 1 state in the overall composite ranking by the Confederation of Indian Industry in May 2003 and Kochi ranked as the No 2 IT-enabled services destination by Nasscom.

The Info Park, scheduled to be launched shortly in Kochi, will give further impetus to the state''s infrastructure. Ajay Piramal, Rajeev Chandrashekhar and S P Hinduja are among the CEOs expected to attend the meet.