Kitex chairman lauding Telangana , terms Kerala industries dept. as "frog in well".

Kochi: Dubbing the Kerala Industries Department as a ‘frog in the well’, unaware of the investor-friendly atmosphere in other States, Kitex Group chairman Sabu Jacob on Monday said Telangana had offered many incentives for his venture and assured no ‘inspections’ would be carried out.

The Telangana government had offered cheap land, water and electricity for investors, which was unlike the attitude of the Kerala Industries Department, he told reporters in Kochi. “They are like a frog in the well and unaware of the investor-friendly atmosphere in other States,” he said.

On apprehensions of inspections, like 11 carried out in his units in Kerala in 30 days, he said the Telangana government assured him that no official would trouble any industry in that regard. He said it



informed him that inspections would be held once in two or three years and that too with the knowledge of the Principal Secretary or the Minister concerned.

“Even that will be informed well in advance after getting our permission and as per our convenience only,” Jacob said.

He was told that even if any lapses were found during the inspection, steps would be taken to rectify it at the governmental level and not publish it to “defame and let the business run into losses”.

Jacob termed his discussions with Telangana Industries Minister KT Rama Rao as “like a talk with the CEO of the State”. He said Kerala’s claim of a “single-window” clearance for investors was an “outdated system” as other States had implemented it around 25 years ago.