Thiruvananthapuram: An official delegation led by Kerala Industries Minister P Rajeev has prepared plans to visit China and Switzerland to promote industrial development in the state. The combined estimated cost of the two trips is ₹14 crore.

The first proposed tour is to China to attend a meeting at Tianjin from June 24 to 26 as part of the World Economic Forum. The delegation will comprise Rajeev, the Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary for Industries, and Managing Director and Executive Director of KSIDC (Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation). The team is also planning to participate in the World Economic Forum at Davos in Switzerland, scheduled in January next year. The total cost for both trips, ₹14 crore, will be spent from the budget allocation to promote industries in Kerala.

Meanwhile, the state government has sought clearance from the Centre for the two trips. Earlier, the Central Government had refused to approve the visit of an official team led by Rajiv to participate in a panel discussion on the state's 'Samrambhaka Varsham' (Entrepreneurship year) programme in the US during March.

A team from the state, including the Industries Minister, took part in the previous World Economic Forum in Davos held last January, for which the government spent over ₹5 crore. Kerala's participation in the event was arranged by an international marketing agency, and the same route is proposed during the upcoming forum.

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The state Industries Department claims that including the Kerala Green Hydrogen Valley in the 13 industrial clusters announced during the previous World Economic Forum was a major achievement. However, Kerala is yet to frame a Green Hydrogen Policy. Though most companies that engaged in discussions with the Kerala delegation at Davos later participated in the Invest Kerala Global Summit in Kochi, none have launched projects in the state so far.

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