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The government has prepared the ‘Kerala Industrial and Commercial Policy 2011’. The policy guidelines are exhaustive and relevant to the time.The policy intends to strive and convert Kerala to an ‘entrepreneurial society from a wage-earning society.’ The vision of the policy pronounces efforts to transform Kerala into a vibrant entrepreneurial society with faster, inclusive and sustainable economic growth to achieve global standards in every domain.In India many major government-owned companies were established with the prime objective of creating employment in large volumes. At the same time large private sector corporates were perceived as monopolists, ugly money lords, insensitive to the poor working class. Aggression towards them was treated as political and social valour.Through the years even our intelligentsia too has supported this norm. The government has realised that the dimension of many development needed cannot be made possible by the government funds alone. Government feels that to meet this huge requirement we need private participation, growing investments and entrepreneurship. It is a beautiful dream to change our state into an entrepreneurial one by inviting investment in large scales.We require a supportive approach towards the employees as well as the employers. The interests of the employees have to be surely taken care of, which the government is already doing. There are laws made to protect the interest of the employee community, which is admirable.At the same time it is sad to note that no single supportive mechanism is available to support the interest of the employer or an entrepreneur. Most of the entrepreneurial businessmen do not feel secure and supported because the approach of the government most of the time is unfavourable to them. There is no legislation to protect their simple basic interest.Entrepreneurs are people who show courage to take up huge risks to fulfil their dreams. They mobilise funds from different sources, including financial institutions, giving personal guarantees and surrendering their assets as collaterals. They venture out to the rough waters of competitions and market.They manage their limited resources, build up human resources offering employment, optimise expenditure and income, keep the authorities, society and share holders in good humour.Still they are perceived as enemies, terming them simply as ‘money bags.’ The government taxes on them are heavy. For some, their money is a guaranteed source and are claimed without any qualm.The employers, their business houses and their employees are all taxed under various heads. To cover such high out-flows and make the venture profitable he has to struggle. At no level of our administrative machinery they are treated with a genuine sense of friendliness.What is that we need to do to fulfil our vision of promoting investments and entrepreneurship? We need to treat employees and employers with equal fairness and support. Make procedures for them simple and supportive. Educate government machinery to be supportive of the investors. Make necessary legislation in support of investments, investors and enterprises.Mobilise a new awareness among the general public about our need for more entrepreneurship and economic activities in the state. The investors should surely be law-abiding and playing their game to the rules. They should not take the government for granted. We need to have an exclusive department under the government to facilitate and nurture investments and investors.That would ensure a platform for the enterprise, the investor and the employees to feel togetherness to build up a new industrial future.The investor should not be a ‘whipping boy’ any more. He should be treated as somebody who brings in new financial tidings to our state.(The writer is president, Trivandrum Chamber of Commerce & Industries)
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