Hon. Dy Chairman of the Planning Commission Shri Montek Singh Ahluwalia ji, Shri Maira, other distinguished delegates, my colleagues and members of the State Planning Board, friends, 

Let me first thank Montek Singh Ahluwalia ji, for being with us today, as we embark on an exercise to develop a perspective plan for Kerala.

We have with us some of the best minds in the country. With your knowledge and expertise, a meeting like this can generate invaluable ideas. I am sure the deliberations in this meeting will help us in fashioning a document that will continue to assist Kerala in all fields.

I would like to request all of you to help us design a pragmatic document. It should take into account the global and national perspectives. The Kerala 2030 document should be valued- for what it contains - for the next two decades. It should not just be a collection of schemes or a wish list. The plan should not only look at the outcomes. It must also take into account the resources, capacities and skills. It must be flexible. It should give options so that it can adapt itself to changes. Any plan that remains only on paper is a wasted exercise.

Let me briefly touch upon some of the areas which we need to address.

Over the last several decades we have achieved significant development in the social sector. One of the biggest challenges today is how to maintain and build on these achievements. The UPA Government, in the last few years, has taken path-breaking steps for improving the quality of life by providing Right to Information, Right to Employment and Right to Education. We are soon going to have Right to Food security also. The State, which has always led in terms of Human Development Indicators, must think of ensuring the next right- the Right to Health for all. We have good quality health care facilities available in the State. The Challenge is to make it available and affordable for ALL. Moreover, with the growing number of ageing population in the state, there is a greater need for care for our elderly population. The health and associated social needs of the elderly will have to be one of the focus areas.

We cannot afford to have the gap between the rich and poor widen. The implications can be very severe. The loss will not only be in the political or social sense but also in the economic sense- in terms of access to services, skills and opportunities for all. “Inclusive growth” is the only option available in a democracy.

Kerala is probably the most globalised state in the country. Any plan that we work out should take into account the large section of our population overseas.  They are more directly impacted by any adverse global developments. Our plan should give them a confidence to return home.

As we go forward, we cannot depend on government or the public sector alone. We need to work out models by which we can have collaborative initiatives between the public and private sector. To give us the planned growth momentum, it would be good if we are able to use public funds as a catalyst for attracting large private investment, especially in building public infra-structure. We already have a very good model of development through Public Private Initiative, the model of the Cochin International Airport Ltd., the CIAL model, which we would like to follow for developing more such public infra-structural projects.

Innovation will have to be the main driver if we want to achieve rapid progress in all fields. We will need to innovate on delivery of our services. I also would expect the private sector to take initiatives to innovate to become globally competitive.

Another major focus area will have to be Research and Development. We need to make quantum leaps in this area as the levels of R&D are very low in the country today.

R&D and Innovation are the engines for growth. We cannot afford to be left behind in these. This will require a determined effort to provide the environment in which science and technology can flourish. We will also need to reach out progressively to higher and still higher levels in higher education, focusing on quality and excellence.

An immediate area of concern is Agriculture. We need to achieve high levels of productivity. We also need to go in for mechanization and high value- added agriculture taking into account the shortage of farm labour. Organic farming and reduction of harmful fertilizers will have to be our priorities.

Another major challenge is that of creating infrastructure. We need clean, sustainable and affordable energy; good roads, fast trains, better air connectivity and more efficient water transport. All these require massive investments and planning. Our focus of public spending in the past had been on the social sector. This is one of reasons for the lagging behind of our public infra-structure. We have to make up for it and remove this image of an  advance society with a bad public infrastructure.

I would also like to mention the role that the Information Technology sector can play in the faster development of Kerala. The state has the highest potential for a greater role in this sector. It has the best environment, both in the form of the workforce and the climate, it is yet much below where it should be. While the country has reaped the advantages of this technology to the full, the State is yet to achieve its proportionate share in it.

I believe that Kerala can be the nursery for trying out solutions for second generation development problems. Most other states in the country will be able to benefit from these in the future.

We need a clear plan for creation and optimal use of resources – financial, human and institutional- to achieve the vision that we set for ourselves

We need to strengthen our public delivery systems and ensure that the government acts in a transparent, efficient and effective manner.

For any long term development plan to succeed, it is necessary to build consensus on issues that are vital to the state. I am prepared to work across political lines to build this consensus once we have a carefully thought out plan in place.

I could go on enumerating issues, but would like to stop here to listen to your thoughts on what should be the best course of action to guide our future.

I thank Shri Ahluwalia and all of you for having taken pains to assemble here today. I would also like to place on record my gratitude to Shri KM Chandrasekhar for having got together such an eminent group to brainstorm on the perspective plan for Kerala 2030.

In the next few hours we should try to deliberate to on how to create a useful document, a document that will guide us through the next two decades.

Thank you.