Kerala – Draft Logistic Park Policy
Boosting Kerala's logistics ecosystem and supply chain infrastructure
Logistics Sector plays an important role in the Indian economy. It generates huge employment and attracts foreign investments. The efficiency of the logistics sector is a crucial factor that determines the economic competitiveness of the country. The growth of the other sectors depend heavily on the efficiency, reliability, and responsiveness of the logistics network. Vision: ΓÇ£To promote an integrated, reliable, cost-efficient and sustainable logistics system to enhance competitiveness, for the economic development of the State.ΓÇ¥
Vision: "To promote an integrated, reliable, cost-efficient and sustainable logistics system to enhance competitiveness, for the economic development of the State."
Vision:
Vision: ΓÇ£To promote an integrated, reliable, cost-efficient and sustainable logistics system to enhance competitiveness, for the economic development of the State.ΓÇ¥
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Documents will appear here once added by the Administrator.K-SWIFT
Kerala Single Window Interface for Fast and Transparent Clearance
Kerala Single Window Interface for Fast and Transparent Clearance (K-SWIFT) is an online platform for facilitating various clearances that are mandatory to set up and run an enterprise in the State. The portal helps an entrepreneur to secure necessary business-related departmental clearances electronically in a time-bound, transparent, and hassle-free manner. The portal was launched in February 2019, facilitating over 30 plus clearances from 14 departments/ agencies. The first version of K-SWIFT facilitated clearances only to new enterprises. In January 2020, the K-SWIFT portal started issuing Acknowledgement certificates to MSMEs not falling under the Red category, in line with the MSME Facilitation Act of 2019. Non-red MSMEs are exempted from obtaining clearances under State Rules for 3 years. K-SWIFT version 2.0 was launched in September 2020 delivering over 90 various clearances from 21 departments/ agencies. Renewal of licenses for existing enterprises was also facilitated through the portal in the second version. K-SWIFT portal won the ΓÇÿAward of AppreciationΓÇÖ in the e-Governance category by the Computer Society of India in 2019. K-SWIFT also bagged the coveted ΓÇÿChief MinisterΓÇÖs Award for Innovations in Public ServiceΓÇÖ, in 2020
Year-on-year statistics of applications processed through the K-SWIFT portal:
| Year | Registered Entrepreneurs | CAF Submissions | Total Services | MSME Clearance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 907 | 416 | 423 | — |
| 2020 | 14855 | 910 | 585 | 7481 |
| 2021 | 15257 | 2447 | 1595 | 8801 |
| 2022 | 21192 | 3595 | 2144 | 11106 |
Fast Clearances
Dramatically reduced approval timelines through automated routing and deemed-approval provisions.
Full Transparency
Real-time tracking dashboard lets investors see the exact status of every application at a glance.
One Platform, All Departments
A single login covers clearances from all state departments, eliminating multiple-counter visits.
Anytime, Anywhere Access
Apply, upload documents, and receive approvals entirely online — no physical visits required.
Kerala Centralized Inspection System (K-CIS)
Unified digital platform for coordinated departmental inspections
Kerala Centralized Inspection System is another digital initiative of KSIDC to make the statutory inspections conducted by various departments/ agencies on enterprises, systematic. The system stores the enterprise details as per risk categorization; namely low, medium, and high risk. The periodicity of inspections on the enterprises is based on the risk category. K-CIS schedules inspections by randomly selecting the enterprise and the inspector. The system also ensures that no two consecutive inspections on an enterprise is done by the same inspector. Inspection reports are available in the portal within 48 hours after the inspection. At present, Legal Metrology, Labour, Pollution Control Board, Factories & Boilers and Local Self Government Departments are onboarded in K-CIS. More departments will be onboarded in the portal, in the next version.
Scheduled Inspections
Advance notice of inspections with digital scheduling through the centralised portal.
Joint Inspections
Multiple departments conduct inspections jointly in a single visit.
Digital Inspection Reports
All inspection findings are recorded digitally and accessible to the unit through the portal.
Risk-Based Selection
Units are selected for inspection based on a transparent risk-assessment algorithm.
Five departments are currently integrated with the K-CIS platform.
Policy Reforms
A proactive Government will always be striving for simplification of existing policies and procedures so as to make the entrepreneurs more comfortable and assured to do their business. Keeping this in view, Government had appointed an External Committee (Sunny Committee) to scrutinize all legislations that are relevant to business, and suggest suitable amendment to obsolete provisions and to repeal redundant laws. The Committee also had the mandate to decriminalize the criminal provisions in the business laws. The Committee submitted its report with recommendations to amend 12 existing Acts, 12 Rules, enactment of 3 Acts, pertaining to 13 various departments. Subsequent to the submission of the report of the External Committee to the Government, various Departmental Working Committees were constituted to discuss and implement the legislative reforms. A Legal Back Office (LBO) is functioning in KSIDC to facilitate the amendments. The LBO has already submitted draft Bills to the Government, pertaining to Industries & Labour departments and is mandated to submit the remaining amendments by 15th of May 2023. The External Committee also did a scrutiny of the criminal provisions in the legislations relevant to business and suggested decriminalization in 38 various Acts. The Kerala Law Reforms Commission has drafted 38 Bills and submitted the same to the Government. It is expected that the reform suggestions of the External Committee will be implemented by March 2024.
| Sl. No. | Department | Act Amendment | Rule Amendment | New Bill | Erratum | G.O. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Industries | 2 | Nil | 2 | 1 | Nil |
| 2 | Labour & Skills | 3 | 2 | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| 3 | LSGD | 2 | 5 | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| 4 | Legal Metrology | Nil | 1 | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| 5 | Excise | 1 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| 6 | Forest & Wildlife | 1 | 1 | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| 7 | Ground Water Department | 1 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| 8 | Registration | 1 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| 9 | Agriculture | 1 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| 10 | Electrical Inspectorate | Nil | 1 | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| 11 | Environment | Nil | 2 | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| 12 | General Administration | Nil | Nil | 1 | Nil | Nil |
| 13 | Revenue | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | 1 |
Draft Kerala Export Promotion Policy 2023
Positioning Kerala as a leading export hub in South Asia
The State Government after extensive deliberations with the exporter fraternity in the State has decided to hereby notify the Draft ΓÇÿKerala Export Promotion Policy 2023ΓÇÖ seeking comments, suggestions, and recommendations from a wide range of stakeholders, who will be the true beneficiaries, before finalizing the same. The policy document would be open in the public domain till Wednesday, the 1st of November 2023. The comments, suggestions, and recommendations may please be forwarded by e-mail to investkerala@ksidcmail.org. For any further assistance in this regard, please feel free to get in touch with the Investment Promotion Division of KSIDC at +91-471-2318922 or send an e-mail to investkerala@ksidcmail.org.
Law Reforms
Law Reforms
Single Window Clearance
The government of Kerala offers Single Window Clearance facilities according to the Kerala State Single Window Clearance Boards and Industrial Township Area Development Act, 1999. The Single Window Clearance Boards at the State, District, and Industrial Area levels provide the speedy
issuance (within 30 working days) of various licenses, clearances, permits, NOCs, etc., required for setting up, expansion, diversification, modernization of enterprises in the State, including renewals.
Primarily considers license applications pertaining to investments more than Rs. 15 Crore, in addition to being the Appellate Authority. The Apex body is chaired by the Chief Secretary, with the Managing Director, KSIDC as Convenor, and Heads of various departments as members.
Industrial Area Boards
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Constituted for considering license applications entailing investments up to Rs. 15 Crore. Chaired by the District Collector and convened by General Manager, the District Industries Centre of the district concerned
Thiruvananthapuram
Kollam
Pathanamthitta
Alappuzha
Kottayam
Idukki
Ernakulam
Thrissur
Palakkad
Malappuram
Kozhikode
Wayanad
Kannur
Kasaragod
Constituted for Industrial Areas/ Industrial Parks/ Industrial Estates/ Industrial Growth Centres in the State, including notified Private Industrial Parks, for speedy issuance of statutory clearances to the units set up in such Parks/ Estates, etc. The District Collector of the district concerned shall be the Chairperson, and the Designated Authority of the Industrial Area concerned shall be the Convenor.
The Kerala State Single Window Clearance Board (KSSWCB) conducted its first meeting on June 8, 2000. Since then, the Board has conducted 33 meetings clearing projects across various sectors, having a total investment of over Rs.4,000 Crore with employment generation of more than 40,000. The details of the Kerala State Single Window Clearance Board meetings are given below:
Ease of Doing Business
Kerala's commitment to a transparent, investor-friendly environment
Simplifying Licensing & Inspection Procedure
As per MSME Faciliation Act for investments not under red category and up to Rs 50 Crores will not require any prior license from the state government. This facility can be utilised for the first three years, following which necessary licenses must be procured within six months. Single Window Clearance Mechanism at various levels for hassle free licensing Kerala Single Window Interface for Fast and Transparent Clearance (K-SWIFT) online platform for facilitating various clearances that are mandatory to set up and run an enterprise in the State Centralized Inspection System(K-CIS) to replace manual scheduling of inspections with computerized synchronized inspections for various agencies to simplify business regulations and bring transparency and accountability to inspections. The MSME Facilitation Act of 2019 was amended to facilitate licenses having 5 years validity, to Non-red and Non-MSMEs. An Investment Facilitation Bureau chaired by the Principal Secretary (Industries) will issue license to the enterprise within 7 days after scrutiny of the documents submitted
Kerala has undertaken a comprehensive overhaul of its licensing and inspection regime to reduce the time, cost, and complexity involved in obtaining regulatory approvals.
Kerala actively participates in and complements the following Central Government initiatives.
The Investment Facilitation Cell (IFC), operated by KSIDC, serves as the primary contact point for all prospective investors.
Kerala has amended several key legislations to decriminalise minor violations and create a more business-friendly legal environment.
| Sl. No. | Act / Legislation | Nature of Reform | Benefit to Business | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A proactive Government will always | A proactive Government will always | A proactive Government will always be striving for simplification of existing policies and procedures so as to make the entrepreneurs more comfortable and assured to do their business. Keeping this in view, Government had appointed an External Committee (Sunny Committee) to scrutinize all legislations that are relevant to business, and suggest suitable amendment to obsolete provisions and to repeal redundant laws. The Committee also had the mandate to decriminalize the criminal provisions in the business laws. | Enacted |
Financial Assistance Initiatives
Targeted funding programmes for entrepreneurs and growing enterprises
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provide financial assistance to existing women entrepreneurs in the manufacturing/service business using industrial machinery/equipment for scaling up through expansion, modernization and related diversification with the turnover condition mentioned below.
The minimum average annual turnover shall be Rs.10.00 Lakhs for seeking assistance under this scheme up to Rs.25.00 lakhs and for above Rs.25.00 lakhs assistance, average annual turnover shall be double the loan requirement.
Assistance shall be given to proprietorship, partnership firms, limited liability partnerships, private limited companies etc. owned and managed by women (holding 51% or more)
Loan assistance of up to 80% of project cost shall be provided
Lending limits shall be a maximum of Rs.50.00 Lakhs
Interest rate of 7.50%
Tenure of loan shall be limited to a maximum of 6 years, including a moratorium up to 6 months from the date of sanction of loan
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Growth Capital Access
Term loans and working capital at subsidised rates for enterprises with proven business models.
Technology Upgradation
Dedicated funding for machinery modernisation and technology adoption to improve productivity.
Market Linkage Support
Access to e-commerce platforms, buyer-seller meets, and trade fair participation grants.
Capacity Building
Management development programmes, quality certifications, and export readiness training.