Thiruvananthapuram: The state cabinet on Wednesday approved the implementation of ‘Saral Keralam’ (Simplified and Accelerated Regulatory Approvals and Licenses), a new mechanism aimed at speeding up statutory approvals and licences for investments and business projects in the state.Chief minister V D Satheesan said the scheme was intended to make it easier for industrial enterprises to obtain the approvals required to set up and operate projects without prolonged delays. As part of the initiative, govt will introduce the ‘One-State-One-Approval-One-Document’ (OSAD) concept, under which approvals from different departments will be processed through a single statutory authority. The cabinet has also decided to make substantial amendments to 19 existing laws to facilitate implementation of the new approval mechanism.Under the proposed system, investment proposals involving Rs 25 crore to Rs 50 crore will be considered by a district-level body, while proposals involving investments of more than Rs 50 crore will come under a state-level body. Kerala Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) will be responsible for coordinating the system.Govt said the new mechanism would not take away the statutory powers of individual departments. Instead, departments concerned will be required to examine proposals and communicate their decisions within specified timelines. Once the departmental scrutiny is completed, an appraisal body will assess the proposal and place it before the appropriate committee for expeditious final approval.The system will also provide an appeal mechanism to address objections raised by any department during the approval process. The initiative is expected to benefit investment proposals that have been pending for several years, including those awaiting approvals for five to seven years. Govt said the new mechanism would seek to address such prolonged delays by bringing the various stages of scrutiny and approval within a coordinated framework.Satheesan said the draft approved by the cabinet was prepared after detailed discussions with the departments concerned, incorporating their views. Govt intends Saral Keralam to reduce procedural hurdles and delays investors face by creating a more streamlined approval process. The move comes as part of the state govt’s efforts to facilitate new investments and business activity by making regulatory clearances faster and more predictable.
