Cabinet clears ‘Saral Kerala’ to simplify, expedite investment approvals
A ‘Single Statutory Authority’ to be established to grant all approvals through a unified channel
On Wednesday, the Keralam Cabinet approved 'Saral Kerala', a scheme designed to streamline investment approval processes and attract new businesses to the state. The initiative aims to simplify and expedite the licensing and permitting procedures for industrial ventures by establishing a Single Statutory Authority, which will handle all approvals through a unified channel following the One-State-One-Approval-One-Document (OSAD) concept.
Significant amendments to 19 existing laws were also introduced as part of the scheme. District-level bodies will handle investments between ₹25 crore to ₹50 crore, while State-level bodies will manage proposals exceeding ₹50 crore. The Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) will coordinate the scheme, and government departments will be required to review proposals and communicate decisions within a set timeframe.
An appeal mechanism will be established to address objections raised by departments, with Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan stating that the scheme will provide relief to long-pending investment proposals, in some cases for five to seven years. The Cabinet also approved the establishment of two National Investigation Agency courts in Ernakulam, following judicial interventions regarding pending demands. The Central government will bear the entire financial cost of setting up and operating the courts.
Additionally, 18 new 'Radiographer Grade II' posts were created under the Health department to address the shortage of radiographers in government hospitals and alleviate patient difficulties. The scheme, with its streamlined procedures and removal of obstacles, aims to open up significant new avenues for the state's development.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
