Exploring ways to boost its development by rewiring the economy, Kerala is to host a global conference next month to further enhance and modernise nine key sectors by seeking advice from international experts amid a changed world order and a new normal.
The three-day ‘Kerala Looks Ahead’ (KLA) conference and consultation from February 1 looks at suggestions to achieve a paradigm shift in the State’s progress in the coming years, aiming at renewed work on the economic policy’s twin aspects — build on historic achievements in welfare and invigorate growth and development through technology.
Nobel laureate economist Joseph Stiglitz and Soumya Swaminathan, Chief Scientist with World Health Organisation (WHO), are prominent among those who will address the inaugural session. Representatives of government, policymakers, experts and captains of industry, and heads of allied organisations will speak in the sectoral sessions.
Nine themes
Organised by the Kerala State Planning Board, the deliberations are set to focus on nine themes, locating their potentials and means to meet them best in a post-pandemic scenario. The sessions will cover the primary sector (agriculture, fisheries, and animal resources development); modern industrial possibilities; higher education (including international academic collaboration); skill development; tourism; information technology; e-governance; local governments; and federalism and development financing.
“The State needs to strongly pursue development that can expand employment in various sectors with an emphasis on creating skilled jobs for the educated youth,” said Planning Board Vice Chairperson V.K. Ramachandran, as Kerala is set to initiate its 14th Five Year Plan.
“We must strengthen and upgrade public education and health, capitalise on the network of social welfare, and add to the legacy of public action.”
Venu V., Member Secretary, Planning Board, said Kerala’s famed achievements in human development merited a relook in the wake of the pandemic-induced crisis.
“Not only do we need to modify our targets on health, education, social inclusion, and gender justice, but we must all the more employ modern science and technology in sectors such as agriculture, industry, IT, transport, and other large-scale infrastructure facilities.”
Special session
A special session on industry will be held on the final day, ahead of the concluding session. The inauguration on February 1 will be preceded by thematic sessions on software on January 24 and on hardware on January 27. Thematic sessions on agriculture and animal husbandry are also being planned on January 27 and 28.
