15th Five-Year Plan aims to accelerate Keralam’s economic growth through participatory development: K.M. Chandrasekhar

(From left) M.K. Raghavan, MP, Kerala State Planning Board vice-chairperson K.M. Chandrasekhar, and Revenue Minister A.P. Anil Kumar at a workshop organised as part of the formulation of the 15th Five-Year Plan in Kozhikode on Friday.

The 15th Five-Year Plan (2027–32) will seek to accelerate Keralam’s economic growth through participatory development, Kerala State Planning Board (KSPB) vice-chairperson K.M. Chandrasekhar has said.

He was speaking at a meeting with people’s representatives and presidents of local self-government institutions in Kozhikode district as part of consultations ahead of the formulation of the 15th Five-Year Plan on Friday (November 13).

The Plan, envisioned around the concept of ‘Growth through Partnership’, aims to increase Keralam’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) from the present ₹16 lakh crore to ₹28 lakh crore.

Pointing out that nearly 77% of the State’s revenue was spent on salaries, pensions, and interest payments, Mr. Chandrasekhar said the annual allocation of around ₹23,000 crore available for capital expenditure would not be sufficient to achieve comprehensive development. The State would have to integrate Centrally sponsored schemes with its own projects to mobilise maximum financial aid, he said.

“Collective efforts involving local self-government institutions, cooperative sector, banks, expatriates, and the private sector are essential to address unemployment, particularly among women, and increase agricultural and industrial production,” said Mr. Chandrasekhar.

He pointed out that although expatriates and investors were keen to invest in Keralam, red tape and procedural delays continued to hamper investments. Citing an instance, the KSPB vice-chairperson said a proposed investment of ₹350 crore had remained stalled for three-and-a-half years owing to delays at the level of a panchayat secretary. Steps were being taken to amend the rules to remove such bottlenecks, he added.

Local self-government institutions should move beyond their conventional role of issuing permits and clearances and actively promote local investments and employment generation. They should organise investor meets under the leadership of MLAs to encourage small-scale enterprises. Block and district panchayats should also jointly take up large development projects, he said, adding that steps would be taken to revise the guidelines to facilitate such initiatives.

Mr. Chandrasekhar said the projects under the 15th Five-Year Plan would follow the SMART framework — Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Result-oriented and Time-bound — to ensure measurable outcomes and timely completion rather than remain confined to proposals. The Indian Institute of Management - Kozhikode (IIM-K) has been approached for assistance in this regard. The Kerala Digital University would also be involved in upgrading the ‘Planspace’ software used for planning and monitoring projects, he said.

The Planning Board’s organisational structure has also been revamped to improve the efficiency of Plan implementation. A divisional chief has been appointed for every two districts. The chief in charge of the Kozhikode region would visit the district at least once a month to review the progress of projects. Members of the Planning Board would also visit their respective districts once every three months and hold discussions with District Collectors, other officials, and people’s representatives to assess the progress of projects and introduce necessary modifications, Mr. Chandrasekhar said.