Kerala to frame Design Policy, says Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan

He was delivering the inaugural address at the two-day Kochi Design Week (KDW) being hosted by the Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) in Kochi

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday announced that the State government is working towards a Design Policy to make Kerala a global hub in the fast-emerging creative field by capitalising on the region’s strong startup ecosystem and traditionally vibrant culture.

He was delivering the inaugural address at the two-day Kochi Design Week (KDW) being hosted by the Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) at Bolghatty. The ideas emerging from KDW will serve as inputs to the proposed Design Policy, he said.

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Mr. Vijayan said that a wide array of discussions is being held with experts to identity the areas that require attention to promote design as a means to augment economic development. “We are looking for solutions to problems that check the prospects of new designs. We are aware of the social impact it has on the growth of the economy,” he said.

Highlighting inquisitiveness and critical thinking as two factors essential to forays in design, Mr. Vijayan said Kerala possessed both owing to the state’s recent initiatives in the field alongside its rich pool of age-old performing arts known for their colour and compositions. Thus, while ethnic forms such as Theyyam and Kathakali already gave Kerala a grand sense about design, the area was further rejuvenated in this century by administrative impetus on innovative fabrications propelled by facilities such as K-FON (Kerala fibre optic network) and strong internet connectivity, he said.

Minister of Law, Industries and Coir P. Rajeeve said the State was aiming to shortly launch ‘Made in Kerala’ as a brand, bringing under it products such as coconut oil, cashew-nut and coir. “This will hit the market only after strict quality inspection,” he revealed, adding that the government will use an e-commerce platform to implement the idea.

The State will also opt for innovative designs in its famed handloom and handicrafts, collaborating with National Institute of Fashion Technology and Institute of Fashion Technology Kerala, he said.