Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 15 (PTI) Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday said the state’s social harmony has been central to its development, and protecting it strengthens economic progress by fostering stability and trust.
Stating that secularism is not an abstract idea in Kerala, he said it is a lived practice visible in schools, workplaces, and communities.
The Left veteran was speaking after inaugurating Vision 2031: Development and Democracy, an international seminar here.
“Kerala’s social harmony has also been central to its development. People of different religions and communities have lived together peacefully for generations,” the CM said.
Protecting that harmony strengthens economic progress, he added, because stability and mutual respect create confidence and trust.
Vijayan elaborated on the state’s remarkable achievements across various sectors, noting that they were accomplished despite fiscal constraints, including borrowing restrictions and revenue centralisation.
Despite these challenges, Kerala has continued investing in infrastructure, education, health, and industry through innovative financing mechanisms and careful fiscal management.
“As Kerala approaches its 75th year, the goal is not merely to celebrate past achievements but to prepare for the future—an economy that is productive and knowledge-based, a society that is inclusive and just, a state resilient to climate challenges, and a democracy that values discussion and participation,” he said.
Welcoming scholars, public representatives, administrators, and experts from different walks of life, Vijayan said Kerala’s development story has always been shaped by public interventions.
From land and social reforms in the early years to the expansion of education and health services, Kerala’s progress has been the outcome of actions “from above and below,” he said.
Over the last seven decades, governments, social movements, and communities have worked together to expand freedoms, he added, noting that literacy and school education are universal in the state.
Kerala ranks first in the Sustainable Development Goals Index and has the lowest multidimensional poverty in the country, he explained.
Highlighting Kerala’s well-educated population, strong public health system, social awareness, harmony, and active local governments as economic strengths, Vijayan said the next step is to build a productive, modern economy that generates quality employment and broad prosperity.
Referring to industrial development, he said industrialisation was once not at the centre of policy discussions, and Kerala was often described as “a difficult destination for investment.” The government responded by simplifying procedures, improving support systems, and conveying that productive investment is welcome, he said.
Micro, small, and medium enterprises have expanded across districts, and industrial investment has grown steadily, Vijayan added.
He said new proposals have emerged in manufacturing, processing, green industries, and logistics, stressing that Kerala’s industrial path draws on a skilled workforce, respects labour rights, and places environmental responsibility at the centre.
On information technology, the CM said earlier perceptions that Kerala had missed opportunities in IT have been proven wrong.
Vijayan noted that agriculture, fisheries, and animal husbandry continue to face challenges, including low productivity, climate change, rising costs, and market uncertainty.
Infrastructure development, he said, is another key pillar of Vision 2031, with integrated transport systems, efficient public transport, digital connectivity, and modern spatial planning required in a state marked by dense settlements and ecological sensitivity.
Emphasising environmental sustainability, he said recent floods and landslides underline the need for resilient growth, with greater focus on adaptation.
Renewable energy, scientific water management, flood control, and biodiversity protection must be integral to economic planning, he added.
School education has been transformed through infrastructure improvements and renewed public confidence.
He added that higher education can play a larger role in research and innovation, positioning Kerala as a hub for advanced learning.
Public health has been strengthened through missions modernising primary and secondary care, and future priorities include preventive care, mental health services, and specialised treatment as the population ages.
He added that the success of Vision 2031 would depend on the collective efforts of scholars, workers, farmers, youth, entrepreneurs, and administrators.
“The next five years offer an opportunity to bring together growth and justice, technology and humanity, modernisation and sustainability. Kerala’s history shows that such a balance is possible,” Vijayan said.
The conference marks a significant step in shaping the state’s developmental landscape as Kerala prepares to complete 75 years since its formation, the chief minister added. PTI LGK SSK
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.