Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala’s maritime economy has received a massive boost at the Kerala-European Union Blue Economy Conclave Blue Tides by yielding business proposals worth Rs 7,288 crores. This was disclosed by Minister for Fisheries, Shri Saji Cherian, as the two-day event drew to a close at Kovalam. Addressing the valedictory session of the conclave, he said the investment proposals came from 28 investors.
The European Union, the key partner of the conclave along with the Government of India, made a request to the state to establish a platform to facilitate future engagement with EU countries.
“This conclave has not only achieved what it set out to do, but its outcome has gone beyond the initial targets and has set an example for the country. This conclave has marked the beginning of a major boost for Kerala’s fisheries sector,” said the Minister. He said 28 investors have signed an expression of interest during the conclave, and the state also made a beginning for close cooperation with European countries.
European Union ambassador to India, Herve Delphin, said during their interaction with the Chief Minister, the ambassadors had submitted a proposal to create a platform for engaging with EU states as the “Team Europe” realised that there are many avenues for cooperation with Kerala.
He said the team of EU envoys saw this conclave as a continuation of global Blue Economy summit held in France earlier this year. He said his team covered much ground during discussions with Kerala officials and saw a lot of areas of possible collaboration, especially in the fields like healthcare and IT.
Recalling the various topics explored during the panel discussions at the conclave, A Jayathilak, Chief Secretary, Government of Kerala, noted that the event covered an array of subjects from sustainability, cutting edge technology, climate change resilience to global cooperation on logistics.
Department of Fisheries Special secretary, Abdul Nasar B welcomed the gathering and Fisheries Director, Chelsasini V thanked the gathering.