Kerala chief minister to open global investor meet ASCEND 2020

KOCHI: Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate a two-day ASCEND 2020 global investors meet in Kochi on January 9.

Showcasing 100-plus projects across nine sessions that include six panel discussions, the event will seek to invigorate development in sectors such as petrochemicals, agro & food-processing, defence, life sciences, aeropolis, tourism & hospitality, ports and harbour, fisheries, infrastructure, mobility development, logistics and electronic hardware. Of the projects proposed to be taken up based on a feasibility study by KPMG, 18 will be large scale with an investment of more than Rs 100 crores.

Organised by the state’s department of industries, the inaugural session of the event will be presided over by Kerala industry minister Jayarajan. This will be followed by two panel discussions, led by top industrialists. The first, on ‘perspectives of global investors’ will be addressed by M A Yusuff Ali, B Ravi Pillai, Varghese Kurian and J K Menon. Subsequently, K E Moidu, Sabu M Jacob, Abdul Razak, Jose Dominic and K Paul Thomas will speak on ‘perspectives of successful entrepreneurs’.


Overall, a minimum of 60 big-ticket projects from industries department and 40 from other government departments/agencies will be presented before the prospective investors. Also, the government is showcasing its upgraded investment portal to provide all the details required by investors to set up new ventures in the state.

The chief minister will also deliver the valedictory address on January 10 where he will make key announcements.