Kerala Open To New Projects With Adani Group, But Firm Against Polluting Industries: Minister Rajeev

Kerala is now open to discuss any new projects with the Adani Group but they need to create a ‘win-win’ situation so that it benefits the residents in state, a senior state minister said.

Kerala Minister P Rajeev told PTI that the states in southern area are already cautious about welcoming the industries which can cause pollution and ecological damage.

Kerala Minister P Rajeev stated that the state is having a big investment from the Adani group in the Vizhinjam Seaport near Thiruvananthapuram. He further mentioned that, the current government has made the decision to go ahead with the project started by the predecessors only because of the benefits it is going to bring in the state.

He also mentioned that, the government opposes giving any special incentives. The government insists to operate under their terms.

The minister further stated that, it should benefit the state in terms of generating employment.

He pointed that while the government in Kerala when collaborated with the group on Vizhinjam port project, it opposed the involvement of the group in other projects, like taking over the airport situated 15-km from the port.

The minister mentioned that the Kerala government is not against the big industries setting up plant in the state. However the state put the ecological concern on top priority.

The minister mentioned that, “We are not totally against big industries, big industry is needed. It should give employment to our people and should be non-polluting,” as per reports by PTI.

The Kerala government is working hard to become a centre for knowledge-based industries, aiming to attract investments and create jobs for its youth. The state plans to declare itself the first digitally literate state in India and has recently been recognized as the top state for ease of doing business.

Industries may find that wages in Kerala are higher, but the government assures that they will benefit from increased productivity. Addressing concerns about strikes and lost workdays, the Minister pointed out that Kerala is not the leader in such losses and emphasized that there have been no violent incidents in industrial units resulting in deaths or injuries, unlike other states.

To ease fears about extortion by laborers, the Minister clarified that a law protecting such workers does not apply in industrial and logistical parks, making it a criminal offense to demand money.

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