Kerala to create one lakh entrepreneurs this year

Kerala is promoting entrepreneurship as part of its endeavour to be a major manufacturing hub and to cash in on the growing internal trade and services in the country. Kerala Finance Minister KN Balagopal while addressing the inaugural function of the Kerala Pavilion at the 41st India International Trade Fair at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi, said the state is planning to create one lakh new entrepreneurs this year.

The Kerala Pavilion has around 30 stalls with herbal, agricultural, handloom, spices, textile and ayurvedic productions on display.

“Kerala has unique selling products based on local artisans, tourism and sports,” said the minister. “Such kind of exhibitions are beneficial for the SMEs from the state,” he added. Balagopal urged the Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal to organise trade fairs especially in other state capitals, to market locally made things nationally. He said, “we have to be ‘vocal about the local things.”