Focus on knowledge-based industries to strengthen AI ecosystem: Kerala minister

Kochi (Kerala) [India], July 12 (ANI): Kerala’s minister for industries, law and coir on Friday P Rajeev said that the government is focusing on knowledge-based industries to strengthen the AI ecosystem by attracting investment and creating employment opportunities for the youth.

The minister was addressing a session on government initiatives to promote AI at the two-day International Generative AI Conclave in Kochi.

The conclave was organized by the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KIDSC) in association with IBM.

“The government is trying to transform the state into a knowledge society and economy. Kerala is ready to attract investment from all sectors. The aim of the government initiatives is to make the state an investment-friendly state,” he said

Realizing the advantages and limitations of the state, the government has formulated a new industrial policy. Skilled human resource capacity is the main strength of Kerala. The minister also pointed out that the industrial policy has identified 22 priority areas such as AI, block chain, machine learning, big data analytics, robotics, tourism and logistics.

The government has taken steps to attract investments, including streamlining and simplifying the process of issuing licenses to entrepreneurs through K-SWIFT. The state government has given 52 approvals in eight months to set up private industrial parks. The minister added that campus industrial parks and giving grace marks to students are new initiatives of the government.

APM Muhammad Haneesh, Principal Secretary, Industries Department, gave a presentation on the AI ecosystem in Kerala. The Industries Department is also promoting AI-based solutions in key sectors along with setting up AI centres to support MSMEs. A focus on industry-academia collaboration will help mold a skilled workforce. The state is ensuring a skilled future workforce with a strong startup ecosystem, women empowerment and expertise in healthcare.

Mohammad Haneesh pointed out that various benefits are provided to industrial enterprises by providing good infrastructure and an investment-friendly environment. He said that entrepreneurship, infrastructure, high-tech transformation, skill development, brand equity, business environment and sectoral industrialization have been considered as seven key areas in the Industrial Policy 2023.

According to the Kerala IT Forward Strategy, Kerala is preparing to contribute 10 per cent of India’s IT and electronics industry in the next five years. Ratan U Khelkar said in the presentation. The IT policy will enable e-governance, smart government, infrastructure development, human resource development, innovation, start-ups, new technologies and data management. Sustainable development goals can also be achieved through digital technologies.

AI powered high capacity data center will be set up at Kerala Digital University. He added that the Kerala Genome Data Center (KGDC) will be the repository of all genetic information in Kerala and will connect more than 125 life sciences institutions.