Jewellery Industry In Kerala Essay

• Dowry was not a serious problem in Kerala until recently, thanks to increasing consumerism and materialism. Weddings earlier were comparatively simpler. Now, the accent is on a huge amount of gold jewellery that literally weighs down the bride. The overtly aggressive advertising campaigns of jewellery companies plastered all over Kerala almost make one feel guilty if jewellery is not purchased at every minor excuse.” Both dowry and purchases of gold for weddings is a social phenomenon that is worrying the middle class.
• Another worrying fact is the rise of alcohol consumption. The per capita consumption of alcohol has increased from one in 300 to one in 20 in recent years. It has made Kerala the number one state in the per capita consumption

These are Higher Education, Finance Industry, Tourism including Medical Tourism, Nanotechnology, Biotechnology, Information Technology, Agriculture involving Internet of Things, Military Technology and Ports. There needs to be a change in approach of the government with a focus on projects rather than funding on piecemeal schemes. The Kerala Perspective Plan 2030 framed by the State Planning Board has a grand vision of Kerala in 2030 , where it becomes a leader in the above mentioned areas. The State Planning Board has also made the schemes more flexible by merging similar schemes, and allowing funding to project proposals made by the local bodies. But there is a need to go beyond planning to actually implement things on the ground in a big way for transforming

However, it is the right place for high end industries like Information Technology, Biotechnology and Nanotechnology to set up their space due to availability of a well educated workforce. There is a need to create more "Industrial Zones" like Technopark in trivandrum, with the private sector playing a major role in development. These industrial zones may be provided quality infrastructure as in the case of smart cities. Developing such mega projects in Kerala can definitely make it a developed state in another two decades. These areas can act as growth centres from where the effect of growth tapers down to the nearby areas, and also to other states of India. These initiatives can make Kerala an innovative state and a "Smart State", from the present state where it can be called "Dumb", as it has not been working up to its potential. But what mechanisms need to be put in place so that Kerala really transforms? That is where diplomacy comes in