Former Union Minister and Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has called for substantial corrective measures in areas like ease of doing business and permit delays to unlock the entrepreneurial potential of Kerala. 

Speaking after inaugurating the two-day TiE-con Kerala 2017 on Friday Tharoor said Kerala has “strong entrepreneurial spirit”.

Stressing the need for more incubation centres across the state, he also called for ending the outmoded protest forms such as hartals. He cited  overdependence on gulf remittances as major socio-political and economic challenge facing the state. 

“The services and construction sector contribute 81 per cent to our net state domestic product. Agriculture and industry are only marginal”, he pointed out.  

Tharoor also said India as a country is the natural leader of frugal innovations. “In the west, people invent a product, refine it, make it smaller and expensive, while Indian innovators often strip a product to its bare essentials to make it affordable, durable and effective and thereby reaching out to a larger market”, he said.

Over 1,000 delegates, industry leaders, decision makers, start-up entrepreneurs, social entrepreneurs and student entrepreneurs are participating in the event. 

The highlight of the first day was the session on experiential tourism which shed light on future frontiers of Kerala tourism industry.  The first day also saw important sessions on the possibilities and opportunities in Life Sciences and Bio technology.

A panel discussion on the role of Medical cluster Industries in Kerala was another highlight of the day.  Shyam Srinivasan, Managing Director and CEO, Federal Bank Ltd, Dr. Azad Moopan, Chairman and Managing Director, Aster DM Healthcare, Rajesh Nair, President, Tie Kerala and several others addressed the inaugural session.