KOCHI: Kerala needs to pass a model investor protection act, MP Shashi Tharoor said in Kochi on Sunday. He was speaking at the India Forward Talk Series organised by the Cochin Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI). “It is required because we are a state with a record of investor suicide. There are at least two examples in the last five to six years,” Tharoor said, responding to a question from the audience.
“The average time to start a business in Singapore and the US is three days. In India, it was 114 days, and in Kerala it was 236 days. Recently, Minister P Rajeeve, in a statement, said that it takes two minutes to open a business in Kerala. If that is true, that is a considerable accommodation,” the Thiruvananthapuram MP said.
The Congress leader also appreciated the state, saying that as India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem expands, one state stands out with several economic innovations and sustainable growth.
“Kerala, with its strong historical foundation and strategic economic initiatives, has emerged as a dynamic centre for startups, driving significant contributions to India’s broader economic transformation. This growth is exemplified by the remarkable progress of Kerala’s startup ecosystem, which has experienced impressive valuations and rapid scaling, positioning the state as a key player in India’s economic ascent and a recognised leader in fostering entrepreneurial excellence,” he said, appreciating the efforts of the Kerala Startup Mission.
Remembering former prime minister Manmohan Singh, who passed away recently, he said that Dr Singh was more than just the architect of India’s economic resurgence. “He is very much a testament to India’s enduring idea of Indian, one rooted in the idea of service, intellect, and compassion. His reforms did not just liberalise the economy. It liberated millions of Indians to dream bigger and aspire higher,” Tharoor said.