THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:An investment-hungry Kerala is looking up to a novel initiative by the Union Ministry of External affairs (MEA) aimed to facilitate the economic interests of states and identifying their core focus areas of development.
The ministry’s Director (state governments) Devyani Khobragade, who was in the midst of a diplomatic row recently when she was the Deputy Consul General of India in New York , has been entrusted with the task of identifying core focus areas of development in Kerala.
As part of the mission, the IFS official was in the state in the second week of July for a short visit. She interacted with bigwigs of the state government, including Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and couple of other senior bureaucrats such as Principal Secretary to the Chief minister Subrata Biswas, sources said.
Interactions were held with the business community in the state and the Norka officials. Identifying the state’s priority sectors for investments, exports, areas where the state seeks foreign collaboration, how the state can export its skills abroad, develop its infrastructure were discussed.
Electronic industry, research and development in addition to Ayush were some of the key areas the officials showed interest in developing.
The purpose behind the formation of the States Division in the MEA and the ongoing initiative are to understand the priorities and concerns of each state governments regarding its international interactions, sources said.
As part of the mission, the MEA would facilitate the states in their external linkages including economic, investment relations, technological, academic and cultural.
Based on the visit and interactions with the senior officials and industrialists, a report will be submitted before the External Affairs Ministry.
IFS officers are now being given the opportunity of state specialisation. Being the first officer to specialise in a state, Devyani Khobragade will be focusing on developing a template or guideline for IFS officers for intense study of states.
states to get Priority
The purpose behind the formation of the States Division in the MEA and the ongoing initiative are to understand the priorities and concerns of each state governments regarding its international interactions, sources said.