The Aim of the Study Congress is to Enrich the Building of Nava Kerala: Thomas Isaac

Thiruvananthapuram: T. M. Thomas Isaac, Secretary of the Academic Committee of the Congress, stated that the theme of the 5th International Kerala Studies Congress is how to further enrich the building of Nava Kerala.

He noted that, as a result of the actions taken by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government, Kerala’s social structure has undergone significant change. In 1973, nearly 70% of the population was poor. Today, around 40% have experienced an increase in income and have moved into the middle class, while 30% still remain poor.

While ensuring security and social protection for the poor, development initiatives must also meet the expectations of the growing middle class. This, he explained, is the objective of the Nava Kerala Development Agenda. Along with expanding social welfare facilities for the poor, the state must mobilise substantial financial resources for infrastructure development.

Over the past decade, Kerala has significantly increased its capital expenditure. However, unlike in some other states, it is not feasible to fully corporatise the infrastructure sector in Kerala. The Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) was conceived with the vision of establishing a major financial institution dedicated to infrastructure development. KIIFB has directly undertaken projects worth Rs 90,000 crore. In addition, several other projects have been implemented with financial assistance from KIIFB. When all these projects together worth around Rs 2 lakh crore are completed, the face of Kerala is expected to change significantly.

He further stated that the success of the Nava Kerala Development Agenda poses a challenge to neoliberal policies, which is why the Central Government has imposed financial restrictions on Kerala. Alongside political and legal efforts to address these restrictions, discussions will focus on utilising financial institutions, including Kerala Bank, to support private entrepreneurs and public sector institutions, thereby complementing government expenditure.

The steps taken to build a knowledge economy will also be evaluated. One of the key goals is to increase women’s participation in the labor force from 30% to 50%. Additionally, discussions will address urbanisation, restructuring the agriculture sector, and further progress in the education and health sectors.

He added that transforming Kerala into a knowledge society will be a central topic of discussion at the Congress.